Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Weight Loss! Finally!

Hey ladies, sorry it's been so long since I've written. Work is hectic (what's new though!), so it's hard for me to get to blog.

I am pleased to report that I am finally losing weight, although I finally had to break down and join Weight Watchers. I do highly recommend the program though, I have been on it a week and a half so far. I have already lost 7 pounds, and feel better than I have in months!! The program is really awesome, and I haven't felt hungry or bummed out even once. I have non-stop energy, especially now that I am exercising even more. I finally feel like my body is totally returned to normal, and of course, seeing weight loss results feels damn good. Also I'm pleased to report that my stomach has stopped bloating at random intervals, which it was doing on and off even after the IUD removal.

I am proud of those of you who got the IUD removed. Remember, you know what's best for your body, now give your doctors hell!!

289 comments:

I had the Mirena IUD removed 05/28 after 7 months of break-through bleeding... Other than that I had no side effects, but you probably understand how FRUSTRATING that one is!

My hubby and I decided to "throw caution to the wind" and if baby #2 happens it happens. Well I had a period on 05/29 (should have been due again around 06/26) and nothing since. I am now 2 weeks late and a week ago when I took an HPT it was negative.

My question for you is, should I waste my money on another HPT, or have you heard of people being VERY irregular after the IUD removal? I am usually 28-30 day cycles TOPS... so this is very strange for me!!

Glad to hear the good news. Was the weight gain the only major side effect for you? I had a really awful time in the end before removal in April and am still suffering post removal side effects as my body recovers (?). I just hope there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Most of this I can take in stride but the difficulty breathing is really maddening.

Hello! I first posted a comment back on April 6th, which was 10 days before my removal. However, I was weak. I did not have it removed because the doctor gave me the "one in a million" speech regarding the weight gain. He ordered a thyroid panel that he was sure was going to be negative. (It was.) I showed him my exercise log however the "but's" kept coming such as but cut more calories, but stay at home mom's don't realize how much they are snacking, etc. Knowing I had another Dr. appointment in June, I worked out like crazy and guess what? 1 solitary pound lost Arrrgghh! Hubby has his special procedure in 4 weeks and once he gets the all clear, this thing is coming out ASAP!!! Thanks for reading this rant!

I had Merina for four years and the first two years seemed to go pretty well. I was a little emotional but attributed it to grad school and a young daughter. Within the last two years I have had extreme memory loss weight gain(15 pounds) fatigue pain durig certain positions and irritablitlity. Im a very healthy person who works out often.

I began having severe pain in my lower abdomen two months ago. Upon feeling and checking the string on my iud I felt the bottom of the iud poking out of the opening of my cervix. The next two months were filled with continual pricks and pain.

I could only until recently return to my regular ob/gyn midwife... insurance stuff. So 4 days ago I had my iud removed and the pain is mostly gone.. it still feels tender and I feel a lift from the foggy memory loss that had become a presumed part of my personality. I really hope that I may lose this weight as I just do feel like my athletic self. Im continuing with the same excercise plan and diet as before in hopes I will see the scale budge as a result of the iud removal. sidenote:I always had a period on merina and it was much more severe.. gushing.. and lasted 7 days vs. 4 previously.

I keep reading from people that it takes quite a long time for some of the symptoms to subside... look forward to hearing from more of you.

I was origionally on birth control. unfortunately, I had tried numerous versions of the pill and all had caused my moods to become out of whack. I was continutally at the doctors, asking for other options, preferably something non-hormonal. Condoms seemed like a wonderful option aside from my boyfriends lack of ability to use them.... the doctor suggested the nuva ring, my moods became worse than ever, with crying fits and crazy bouts of anger, so I went off of that because i couldnt handle it, and made an appointment with my doctor. Then i became pregnant.

I went threw for a D&C, and for months didnt get my period. I kept going to the doctors, and they kept doing bloodwork and telling me that I wasnt pregnant, but perhaps that it would be neccessary to do another D&C in order to remove any material that my doctor might have missed. They said that my hormone levels were still high, so he must have left something in there. Well, after 2 months of this bloodwork rigamarole, they finally sent me for an ultrasound, only to find that he did indeed leave something in there. I was 4 months pregnant. Devistated, I went to my gyno, only for him to tell me that there was no way it was still alive, and that the lady who did the ultrasound had lied to me about it and about how far along i was. he gave me a number and told me to tell the people at the abortion clinic that i was 14 weeks. All of these things were horrible lies on his part. For months I had been partying and going about things as though i wasnt pregnant, because that is what they had told me. It was a horrible situation.

Anyhow, all in all, after a large chunk of terrible circumstance and heartache, they installed the mirena. I gained a ton of weight (20-25 lbs), my stomach was always swollen feeling and uncomfortable, as though i was pregnant. I was moody and depressed, I had NO sex drive at all... it was horrible

At some point, the iud moved down into my cervix. I know this because i could feel the bottom of it. I went to the doctors, and they told me that yes, they could feel it, but that i should be fine, and to just leave it. I said "but, it isnt supposed to be in my cervix. I've read many places that that can cause it not to function, and could lead to PID, among being uncomfortable, and letting in bacteria. I dont like reaching up inside myself and feeling something hard protruding from my cervix. its discusting." She told me that I should be fine, so I asked for a second opinion. They booked me to see another doctor in that office who said the same thing

After a few months of dealing with it, and my boyfriend complaining about how when we would have sex, it felt like a pin pricking his dick, and how he didnt want to have sex because it hurt, I went and made them remove it, however reluctant they were. I dont understand why they were so against having it removed. These are doctors from the same office who told me i wasnt pregnant for months before sending me for an ultrasound. I cant understand for the life of me, how they got their degrees for christ sakes

Anyhow, Life has been wonderful ever since. I am back on the pill with a very low dose of hormones, and although I'd like no hormones, this is better than the alternative. Ive had it out for 3 weeks and have lost at least 10 lbs, have my energy back, my sexdrive back, and am all around much better off. I was told right after my pap that I had Bacterial Vaginosis, which I am taking meds for to clear up. This would be caused by the IUD which was stuck in my cervix for nearly 6 months due to the incompetence of doctors. finally my stomach/ abdomin area is feeling normal and not bloated or in pain.

It is funny to see that the side effects that I listed out to my doctor, are actually very common from the looks of things. They kept telling me that none of those symptoms were side effects of the Mirena, and that I didnt know what i was talking about. Needless to say, I have a bit of a problem with doctors now unfortunately.

I had Mirena from 1/2008-12/2008. I have been on birth control before but became pregnant on the pill and gave birth to an amazing boy who will be 4 this fall. I tried Depo and other BC pills but had bad side effects. My OB/GYN assured me Mirena was the way to go with very little side effects and no weight gain.

I never gained weight on Mirena. However I was carrying around an extra 20lbs or so due to my pregnancy and using Depo right after my pregnancy. Prior to pregnancy I had never been overweight. I was a dancer turned pro for a while and was always physically fit.So I was excited thinking I can finally get rid of this weight and go back to my pre-pregnancy size 2. WRONG!!!

I busted my butt so hard in the gym with no results! I even worked with two different trainers, logged EVERYTHING I ate, and not a single pound was dropped. It's frustrating when it even stumps the trainers why you cannot lose weight. They would see me in the gym 4-5 times a week. It just didn't make sense.So finally my one trainer suggested that it was Mirena inhibiting my weight loss. I never thought of it before...out of sight out of mind I suppose.

So right before the holidays last year I had it removed. My OB/GYN tried talking me out of it explaining why it was such a great method, but I had my mind made up. I went from being 140lbs in Dec. 2008 to 133lbs by January. Remind you this was during the holidays, traveling, and little time spent at the gym and lots of holiday treats!

January I had pneumonia so I was out from the gym for almost a month. In March I resumed my gym/diet routine I was using a year ago. The only difference was I did not have Mirena anymore.

Today I am 118lbs. The spare tire has vanished from my waistline. I am even training to compete in figure competitions.

So I wanted to share this story because it was so frustrating for me not to lose weight and I'm sure many other women are struggling with the same issue. Diet and exercise is key to weight loss but like my new doctor had told me after hearing my story- "You can't fight a hormone." That is absolutely true.

I just had my Mirena removed. I was great for the first few years, then had pregnancy symptoms for 2 weeks out of every month. I removed it today and hope I never have to deal with that ever again. I lost all sex drive and I am 28 weight gain was not really a problem except some water weight gain around that time of the month but no periods ever. I think I did not gain weight because I am an aerobics teacher and ice skating teacher that helps with I also run. But my weight should be lower and will be hopefully now that that horrible thing is out of my body. If you have it remove it it is not worth what it puts your body through.........

i can t agree with everyone enough about how Mirena affects your process of losing weight!! i am getting mine removed tomorrow and hearing how woman have lost after it brings this spark of hope and an actual tear to my eye with strong motivation to take my but to the gym even more afterward...i guess im hoping this will be create some sort of magical powers to help me lose weight..all along i thought it was me..not working out hard enough..but the harder i worked and didnt see results i would just get angry with myself..I CAN NOT wait till tomorrow to have this stupid thing taken out!! and i severly recommend to any one else who has it to get rid of it!! wish me luck everyone!! i hope all goes well for me..i have 2 kids and dont wish to have another anytime soon so im going to try a bc pill that i have heard alot of great things about..i will be updating definately and good luck to anyone else out there..hopefully getting the demon removed also!! : )

I have been obsessively reading all the horror stories from mirena for the last two days! I have had the mirena for about a year and a half..at first I felt great, was a great weight...although I was still breastfeeding, and wasn't getting a period. After I stopped nursing a few lbs came back which was fine, attributed it to more weight training and body regulating. However in the last six to eight months I have gained about 6-8 lbs..hard to tell since I go up and down so much and feel bloated about two weeks out of the month. Now, that doesn't seem like a ton of weight, but I work out 6 days a week for about two hours and since May I have run a 1/2 marathon, did a triatholon, taught aerobics, lifted weights (p90x!) and I eat great...(although with all the exercise I should be able to eat what I want!!) It just doesn't make sense and is very frustrating, not to mention the horrible breakouts on my jawline and back. So, needless to say my appt to remove this is in two days! I didn't even relate the mirena to weight..originally thought it was messing with my moods. I've always had issues with bc so maybe I'm just sensitive. I was planning on removal in spring anyways to maybe try for a 3rd baby (crazy I know). But, I'm also scared the extra lbs are going to start impacting my races and who wants to start a new pregnancy up in weight! Thanks for starting this blog. I have my arguements ready for when they tell me this is all in my head!!

I had my Mirena IUD for about a year... Year and a half and I gained 35lbs! I didn't even gain that much weight when I was pregnant! I excercised a lot but never lost ANY weight! I read this article and I said that no matter how much you work out on the IUD, your body cannot fight the hormones! So you can't lost the weight! So I had it removed today 10-20-09, and my boyfriend doesn't believe me when I say I feel better already! But I had ALL the side effects from- weight gain, acne, headaches, backaches, being moody, dizzyness, feeling sick to my stomach, fatigue. The only good thing wasI didn't get my period, but when I first got it in I bleed for a month straight! Heavy and blood clotty! The doctor didn't believe me when I told her how much weight I gained being on Mirena, but I got it out and i'm hitting the gym to see how much weight I can lose! I'm 150lbs right now! I'll keep you updated!

I had my Mirena IUD for about a year... Year and a half and I gained 35lbs! I didn't even gain that much weight when I was pregnant! I excercised a lot but never lost ANY weight! I read this article and I said that no matter how much you work out on the IUD, your body cannot fight the hormones! So you can't lost the weight! So I had it removed today 10-20-09, and my boyfriend doesn't believe me when I say I feel better already! But I had ALL the side effects from- weight gain, acne, headaches, backaches, being moody, dizzyness, feeling sick to my stomach, fatigue. The only good thing wasI didn't get my period, but when I first got it in I bleed for a month straight! Heavy and blood clotty! The doctor didn't believe me when I told her how much weight I gained being on Mirena, but I got it out and i'm hitting the gym to see how much weight I can lose! I'm 150lbs right now! I'll keep you updated!

I had the Mirena IUD for 5 yrs and on this Saturday I will be having it removed. I can't express how much I actually loved this form of birth control. I had it inserted at my 6wk check up after my second child. Birth Control effects everyones body differently..prior to the Mirena I was on depo and a form of pills. Both did horrible things to my body and skin. The mirena never effected me in any way, shape or form. I will say that I have remained a consistent weight since having it in, so the weight loss I will be totally looking forward to.

Good Luck to those who have it put in and those who are TTC. I just say, like everything else...we all have different experiences...

I have had the Mirena IUD since 5/2007... Apprx 2-1/2 years... I was always petite... So at first when I gained 7-8 pounds I was happy... By September 2007 I was 118 pounds, I'm Five feet tall... But today I am 130 pounds and that is borderline overweight for my height... I had never gained weight this fast in my whole life... I beleive I was 112 when I had it inserted...I have gone from a C cup to a D cup to a DD cup and have been told by a bra measurer at Nordstrom that I wear a 32 DDD... Im sorry I dont really mind the boobs but I def dont want to be a DDD at five feet.... My back breaks out... I have discharge almost daily, and my memory is awful... Short Term memory... I thought I was in line to develop Parkinson's one of my aunts has it... Im glad to see that all of these problems others are having... I plan to have my IUD removed within the next few months... It was originally inserted (to stop excessive bleeding) it has worked for that and in lieu of a having a hysterectomy.... I had a Myomectomy and a hysterostophy for fibroids...before the Mirena... We wer trying to preserve my uterus for childbirth.... I do not have any children... I am so tired of all of the side effects.... Right now I feel like I have cramps and I feel this way about 75 per cent of the time... UGHHHH.... Thanks for the info... BTW I know 130 lbs is not alot...but when it goes straight to your face and tummy its problematic.... I never know my size anymore... and it's not CUTE to have a GUT and be petite...:))

I've only started gaining weight since having the Mireana REMOVED! I thought the IUD was great. If we don't conceive, I will totally get it again for it beneficial side effects including- no PMS, reduced migraines, reduced period and weight loss.

These posts totally make sense to ma no. Iam 5'2 and always have been consistently between 100-105ibs. I noticed that I am gradually gaining weight. I use to lose weight very quickly in the past. Now I am 110lbs, it seems like it slowly goes up. I've always had fast metabolism. Thanks for all your posts. I'm getting it removed next week and it will be interestign how it goes.

I have had Mirena twice... the first time I found it hard to lose weight after baby. The second one not only was it imposible to lose weight, but I actually gained all of my baby weight back within the year and a half I had it. I have counted calories and worked out and still not lost more than 5 pounds. I had it removed this morning. I really hope it helps!

I've had Mirena since 2006. Quit smoking late 2005 and was on Elavil for anxiety/depression. Went from 130 pounds to 160. Attributed that to smoking cessation and elavil. Quit the elavil; no more weight gain. Have been watching my calories and working out and so long as I work out faithfully I can shed about 8 pounds but I think that's mostly water weight! I'd like to have Mirena removed so I can get back to my regular weight and clothes. Is there an alternative IUD without hormones available?I have experienced issues with memory but I thought it was because I hit 50 last year! LOL. Now it makes me wonder if this is related to Mirena (or the hormones) as well?

I've had mirena inserted for nine years now and next January I have to make the decision if I get it removed for good or re-insert a new one. I have some horrible side effects especially the facial hair I've been getting all these years. It really got out of hand now and it's driving me crazy. I would like to know if someone out there got this horrible side effect and most important if once get it removed would it stop or at least lessen this excessive facial hair growth.

I am an 18 year old college student that has had the Mirena in for about a month. I understand that this is a short amount of time but i have felt nothing but miserable, and i have scheduled to have it removed this upcoming friday (2 days form now). I have experienced everything that women here have talked about. I have gained at least 15 pounds in this short month and i am very healthy and active. The weight is all around my tummy and even worse, on my breasts which are growing by day. I am so much more self concious than i have ever been in my whole life and i am very hopeful that the removal will help me lose weight and bring some of my self esteem back. I was wondering though if anyone doctors were understanding of this. My obgyn called today and seemed almost mean because i told her my symptoms. Has anyone switched to a pill after removal? Any advice would be useful.

I have had my Mirena for 6 years. I did not realize how much I have changed until my husband told me. I have no sex drive. I can not loose weight and I stay angry a lot. I had it removed today. I can not wait until my body returns to it's original state. QUESTION: How long did it take for your monthly to return?

I am soooo happy to have found this! I had the Mirena put in January 2009 and I got it removed today - March 09, 2010. I know that Mirena works for some women but for me, it was a horrible nightmare. I gained 45 lbs and no matter how much i exercised and ate right - it did not matter - I just could not see a change. I will be back in about 3 months to report on how I am doing as far as my weight is concerned because I really think it's important for other women to know the real facts about Mirena. I also experienced crazy moody swings, a lower sex drive, migraines and horrible cramping that left me in a fetal position. My doctor told me that I am a rare case and was happy to remove it for me for free. Thanks, S.

I am happy to say that I got my Mirena removed today! I got it in october 2009 because I had a TIA(mini stroke) and I cant be on any birth control that has estrogen in it. It sucks because now I have to find some other way of birth control, but its not worth me going through what I did the last 5 months or so. I have 3 kids, and I have always been on the smaller side. I was 125 after having my first baby and 6 months after having my second baby, I got pregnant again so I really didnt get a chance to lose all the weight. I had my son feb 2009 and I got down to 160 lbs (I was 210 when he was born) so I was doing pretty good losing the weight. Once I had mirena put in, it was like I couldnt lose any more and then I started gaining it all back! Right now I am at 194 lbs!!! I have been nothing but depressed and tired all the time and with 3 kids, it makes it so much worse. My husband finally told me that I am moody all the time and that it looks like Ive gained 20 lbs and thats when I finally decided to get it out! I have always been a small person so I really hate the way I look now. I hope I can find some other way of not getting pregnant. I will update you all when I start losing these pounds... again!

Thank you all sooooo much for this forum! I have been searching for some sort of explanation for this noticeable gain. I have always been somewhat health consicious and after going back down to my pre-pregnancy weight after delivery of my 3rd child, I opted for Mirena.

While moving across country and getting use to a new lifestyle, I assumed my increased weight was just me adapting. The weird thing was that my tummy had this flabby/bloating look...ALL THE TIME! I was weighing in 20-25 pounds above the weight that I had just lost. I have only had the device in since May 2008. After placing the device, a month later, I found out I was pregnant! I suffered a tramatic ectopic pregnancy. There explanation was that I was pregnant upon insertion but that the pregnancy test taken that day must have not picked up on the HCG.

Since then, the weight gain and mood swings has caused me to elect removal. I go in this weekend and I am thrilled to hear of the positive effects after removal.

I have had mirena since november of 2008 and have had no bleeding whatsoever as far as periods go and I have gained 45 pounds. I eat right, exercise and have been cutting calories. This weight gain was such a mystery to me until I realized it could be the mirena because I started gaining weight almost immediately after getting it. Does anyone else get severe muscle cramps in the neck and shoulder area that last for days. Sometimes weeks? If so, please e-mail me at valamri@yahoo.com. I would like to talk to someone that is having the same problems as me and also compare symptoms with someone. I feel I am going crazy.

I had my Mirena removed about three weeks ago and have droppped almost 20 lbs!!! I had it inserted shortly after the birth of my daughter in 2004. OPver the five years I gained quite a bit of weight (esp that spare tire). I was up to 210. I've never weighed that much in my life. Being that I'm 33, I figured it was bc of age. Now I'm back down in weight and working on my last 35 lbs. I feel more energetic, I have not had any maigraines and my sexdrive has picked up. My husband is much happier:) I never had any physical mishaps while on Mirena and I would recommend atleast trying it. Hope this helps:)

I had the Mirena inserted in August of 2009. After almost 5 months of straight bleeding (which no one told me about) I feel that the situation is finally regulating itself. I still get my period every month, so I am not recieving any benefits of potentially not getting my period anymore (which is what the dr.'s/nurses told me happens to most women.) I would consider myself very fit, with a super busy lifestyle. I rarely sit still and excercise almost daily. So....when I started to gain weight (although I exercise and am a pretty healthy eater) I was perplexed. At first I blamed it on my age (35)and that maybe my metabolism was slowing down, but now the more I read, it really feels like I am not alone. I am 15-20 lbs more than my norm so although I can still fit in my clothes I feel bloated most of the time and look like I did when I was 5 months pregnant. In fact, I weigh more than I did when I was 5 months pregnant. I have an appt. to discuss the Mirena with my dr. at the end of the month. I am not looking forward to it, because I know they are just going to do a thyroid test on me (which has always come back normal...thyroid issues run in my family so regardless of the mirena I am always tested) and tell me that I just need to excercise more and eat healthier. Well I am not going to starve myself so I am not sure what I am going to do? I would like to have it removed, but feel like there aren't as many good alternatives for birth control out there. How come there are not very many people who blog on/report back when it comes to long term effects of having the mirena taken out? I would love to know if there are people out there who have lost the weight after 1 month, 2 months, etc..... Also I am nervous b/c it seems that there are definetly some side effects upon having it removed which I wouldn't of guessed b/c I figured that as long as you weren't having the daily hormone released you would most likely go back to normal? Any help would be much appreciated :) P.S. I guess the thing that has really bothered me all along is that when I called my dr. to discuss the weight gain, the nurse who I was on the phone with told me she has "never (and she said never) heard of anyone ever gaining weight on mirena" so I truly felt so alone and couldn't figure out what I have been doing wrong? I have easily been able to lose the weight after all 3 of my children regardless of my age (and I did not have them all close together, so I know I have been able to get fit again after all 3 pregnancies).

After a year of weight gain and loss of sex drive I have removed my IUD today, How long does it take to feel "normal" again? I gained over 50 lbs. since my IUD was put in place. Im hoping I will shed the weight quickly.. Any thoughts or tips?

Its been a little over a month since I had my Mirena removed and I'm still not loosing weight and my nerves are shot..I'm always mad!! I am excercising (working out to the Insanity CD but still no weight change!

I am very nervous. I am going into the doctor in the morning tomorrow to finally get this thing removed. I have had it for about a year and a half. Since then I have been extremely busy, graduating college, my daughters father removing himself completely from the picture and getting a second job. I have had extremely bad acne, gained 30 lbs. and have been overall very stressed/ depressed. I attributed these symptoms to the stress in my life. Well about a month ago, for my daughters sake, I decided to really focus on my health. I have always been able to drop weight very fast. However, I have never been the weight I am now. I am 155 lbs. I am always tired which I thought may be because of the depression and weight gain. Anyway, after a month and GAINING 2 lbs. and then talking to a friend at work who also has the mirena and experiencing similar symptoms I decided to do some research.... it seemed as the negative stories outweighed the positive by ten-fold. I have decided to get my mirena removed tomorrow. I hope it doesn't hurt! I am not sexually active and only have it for menstruation regulation, I will let you know how it goes and if my symptoms are quickly relieved (I'm hoping!)

Weight gain during the mirena- 20lbs. I decided to get the mirena out when i hit 160lbs (usual 140- i have had 3 kids). I had the Mirena for 1 year and 2 months.I got the mirena out, 3 weeks ago, and i weighed 160- and dropped to 152.5 in a week. and then all the sudden in one day i gained more and i now weigh 162!!

When i got the mirena put in i bled for about 2-3 months- lightly spotting. then i had no periods at all--but i did have spotting once every two months for about a day at a time.

I did have a regular sex drive during the mirena- and now that it is out i have a highly increased sex drive that is wearing out my fiance (before he was the one wearing me out).I am a very active mother of 3 toddlers under the age of 4. I eat well- exercise- even measure my food intake and have cut my food intake in half!!

With the mirena i did have cramps on MY left side of my ovaries and i didnt really have any problems with it, the removal was done smoothly with sensitivity for about 24hours and i was spotting. then my period started 2 days later- not that heavy and not that crampy. it lasted for 6 days.

The mirena was not that bad, i guess cause i dont smoke, or drink, or have really rough sex, i dont use drugs, and i didnt use any birth controls before the mirena--but i did have 3 kids before the mirena.

I have had my Mirena IUD for a little over 2 years. I have two children that are 15 months apart. When I got pregnant with my 2nd I had almost lost all of my baby weight. I was down to 140lbs (I weighed 130lbs when I got pregnant with my first)... I gained 25lbs with my 2nd. I had the Mirena inserted at my 6 week check up. I was down to 145lbs by then. This was 2 years ago. Now I weigh 180lbs and I have done EVERYTHING I can to lose weight and nothing works. I will lose 5lbs at the most then nothing. Plus I now have SEVERE PMDD. I pretty much turn into a demon at the drop of a hat. I thought it was maybe just because I don't get a period anymore. But I got a hunch over the weekend that it COULD be my iud and sure enough... I have found a TON of sights with women posting about their extreme weight gain and mood swings. Needless to say I have my appointment next week to have it removed! I am so excited!!!

I am having this wretched thing out on Friday and I can’t wait! It was put in on July 7, 2010 at my post baby 6 week check-up, and the side effects I have had have been the mood swings (like bad PMS every two weeks), acne and difficulty loosing weight (both of which really add to the mood swings as I get really down about my appearance). I started training for a half marathon in around the same time I had the Mirena was put in, so I have been running A LOT, but have not shed an ounce since the stupid thing went in. Also, I had no skin issues or problems dropping weight in the six weeks following my babies birth, it was not until the Mirena that I had issues.

I just recently had my IUD removed 09/30/2010 (yesterday) and it was relief for me because with all the side effects i went through with the Mirena. I was having really bad headaches which felt like migraines, abdominal pains, infrequent menses which would last weeks...etc!!!! before i had the Mirena inserted i did my research and asked questions to make sure that it was the birth control for me and i felt confident about getting it inserted. Since then it was a nightmare, I went in to get it removed because me and my husband want to conceive, we figured its been two yrs since our last one its time to have another. Come to find out I may have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, i will not get the tests back for a couple of days but its killing me. I strongly believe that this birth control done this too me and i HIGHLY recommend to other people who are getting the MIRENA to PLEASE don't. It was the worst TWO yrs of my life and i will never, ever do that again.

I am so thankful for this blog! I have had horrible abdominal pain, headaches and the complete inability to lose any weight. After I had my baby, 9 months ago I was losing weight like crazy after delivery. I got put on Mirena at my 6 weeks follow-up and not only stopped losing weight but have slowly started gaining even more weight. I have been so depressed about my weight and the constant feeling of looking pregnant and bloated. I have constant pain in my lower abdomen and especially in my lower left side. My periods have been very normal. I am looking forward to being healthy and feeling happy about myself after getting my mirena removed next week. thank you so much girls, you have given me so much hope!!

I have had my mirena iud for 2.5 years. i thought it was the job stress ( 12 hour shifts overnight ER RN) or getting closer to 30, i decided to try P90x lean and clean up my diet in february. 45 days into it i had lost 2 pounds. -that's almost 2 hours of exercise per day, a clean diet AND working 12 hour shifts on my feet. Had my thyroid checked-free t4 and everything-3 times! All negative. I was 139 pounds when the thing was placed. Now I weigh 159 and am always hungry, i used to have no difficulty staying right around 143 pounds, now i don't even remember what weighing less than 150. i have been as high as 163. I am a bloated mess, constantly insecure about being naked in front of my boyfriend. I hope this is the reason why. I am making an appointment Monday to have this removed. I will post about changes in weight!

after having my IUD in for 13 months, i had it removed yesterday for several reasons......One being weight gain. Always being a petite girl, and then all of a sudden working out more than I have ever worked out before, eating incredibly well, really paying attention to my body & my well being.....only to gain weight!!! So frustrating, not to mention, acne, which I have never had, low sex drive, cramps all the time in my lower abdomen..bloating. always tired......So, by reading all of your blogs, it has given me some hope that by having this removed, my body may return to its former self!!! I can't wait! i'll keep you posted!

at first, I loved my mirena due to lack of periods. eventually had to have it removed from major hair shedding and weight gain. I gained 20 pounds in 14 months of having mirena and lost a large percentage of my hair.

Had it removed about 4 weeks ago and I still have the chemical in my system because I havent started periods but let me tell you.. my sex drive is BACK! yay!!

also, do not fear the pain from removal as I did. It was quick and easy.. slight pinch. nothing like insertion.

I wanted to thank all of you for being so honest. I thought I was losing my mind. Thanks to all of your stories, I have made up my mind. I have had my mirena inserted in 2008. Since then, I have gained about 22lbs. I cannot lose a pound unless I restrict my diet so severely that I am eating only one small meal a day. Then, if I eat anything additional, all of the lost weight is back. I exercise at least 4 times a week too. It is very discouraging. My doctors have run tests and nothing has come of them. I really think it is related to the mirena. Therefore, I am going to make an appointment to have it removed. They talked me into the mirena due to my history of extremely heavy bleeding, fibroids and ovarian cysts. I am just going to have to find an alternate method to manage these as the weight gain is really getting the best of me. I am 37 and single. Twenty-two extra pounds is really effecting my ability to be confident to meet anyone. Thank you ladies. I appreciate all of you.

I got the Mirena inserted thinking this would be cheaper and less of a hassle. Well, I bled for two months straight. Then once that stopped and I had a regular period it would last for 3 days and I'd spot bleed for about 4-7 days. I had the Mirena in for 6 months and today got it removed. When I got it inserted I weighed 175 (almost down to pre-baby weight) and now I weigh 205. I've tried everything to lose weight. I joined a fitness group for 2 months, gained weight. I stopped eating meat for 2 weeks, gained weight. I stopped drinking sodas and coffee, gained weight. My doctor tried to tell me the Mirena has nothing to do with the weight gain but I honestly feel he is wrong. I'm hoping to quickly shed the weight as it is seriously messing with my self-esteem. I don't feel attractive and my sex drive is non-existing. I'm hoping things will be different now that it has been removed.

I just had my mirena taken out yesterday and ALREADY feel way better. I was having severe dizziness, migraines, weight gain and fatigue for about 3 years. I finally went to the doctor to verify that mirena was the problem and she was quick to remove it for me. I got the mirena inserted six weeks after the birth of my son, i weighed 181 after giving birth, got down to 160 before the mirena got put in, and got back to 180 lbs after I had it for a few years....no matter what I tried, nothing helped me lose weight. Pre pregnancy, I was at 145....I am hoping I can get down to at least that now that i am without the horrible mirena! I will never ever recommend this to anybody! The hormones just took over my body in the worst way ever and I am sooo happy that it is out! But I'm still waiting for a period...how long after should i expect one?? or does it just varies from person to persoon?

New HereI had the Mirena inserted in March of 2010 and Bleed for 6 wks after. After that It was great. No period no spotting!!! Until around Oct. I had awful pain on rt or left side (cant remember) near ovary. It was so bad I broke out into a cold sweat. I called the the Gyno office and they told me if it was that bad to go to the ER. I did they ended up giving me 3 doses of Morphine and found out I had a cyst. After that I was getting cysts all the time and bleeding with intercourse everytime I had sex. Also getting bacterial infections. I am a small person 5' 1" and gained 10 pounds so for me that is alot. I had it in a year and decided that was enough. After all the extra weight was not very attractive and bleeding during sex isnt either!!!!!!!!!

I originally went on Mirena because I have high blood pressure and could no longer be on the pill because of it. I had Mirena in for 6 weeks. In that time, my face broke out tremendously. When I was a teenager I went on Accutane because of my horrible acne. Having acne on my face again was horrific and my self esteem suffered. I also had cramps all of the time and was unable to lose weight. I got my Mirena out (it was painless!) and I don't regret it. I only got it out a week ago but the cramps have gone away and I'm losing weight. I'm still waiting for the acne to go away but overall I am so so glad that I removed Mirena.

I have been on Mirena for 6 years now. I have suffered with NO sex drive and weight gain that I cannot loose since it was inserted. I have spend a lot of time researching other's problems with the IUD and I am amazed at the amount of people with the same problems. I never associated my problems with the IUD! I have blamed myself for my low sex drive and weight, which has definately affected my marriage. I have an appointment today to get a new Mirena put in after taking the old out, and I have changed my mind! I have decided to go without in the hopes that I see changes. I hope and pray this is the answer I have been looking for. I want my old self back!

I had my mirena coil inserted December last year and have had nothing but hell since. I've put on over a stone and a half, constantly tired and I cry at pretty much anything.

I've been to my doctors to ask to get it removed due to weight gain but they did the usual 'eat less/exercise more'

Due to the coil I have now got huge stretch marks on my thighs and hips. I am only 19 and this is new to me! So I've taken to the gym, with my holiday in mind to inspire me. However although I've drastically cut my diet down, started an exercise regieme and tried every diet supplement in the book I have still managed to put on 3 pounds, which is not something you want before a holiday!

I really thought it was just me and I was started to get depressed. However having read all of these comments I now know it is my horrible, stupid coil! I've booked an appointment with my GP and I am determined this is coming out!!

I discovered it was NOT the Mirena IUD that caused my weight gain of approximately 30 pounds. I had it removed after five years and asked my doctor what my weight was when she put it in five years ago, and I was only 6 pounds heavier five years later when I had it removed. In September (7 months prior to removal), I consciously counted calories, specifically went low-carb, and have lost and maintained a 10-pound weight loss. I suffered no other symptoms during the five years with Mirena. No mood swings, loss of sexual drive, skin problems, etc.

Hey everyone!I just want to start by saying I feel for everyone that has had/is having a bad experience with Mirena. I thought this was a great option for me since I do not plan to become pregnant anytime soon. It was NOT what i wanted.

When I had it inserted,I felt like I was going to die. The pain was horrible! And that is my thought about it after having natural labors with 2 children!

After a uterine infection,2 days in the hospital,chronic pelvic pain and 2 months of solid bleeding,I decided to have it removed(the ER dr said it should have been removed when they found the infection)

That was 3 days ago and I have had SEVERE bleeding ever since. My dr told me that my uterus was tender,and that it was "probably" from the Mirena. He said I should spot after the removal. Never told me that I would bleed this much. I also feel like he isn't really helping me and he's just writing it off.

Anyway...I will definitely never have this inserted again! Thank you for letting me rant

I had my Mirena inserted in 2007. I am now due to have it out tomorrow & I cannot wait! I have two girls, 14 and 12. Some years after having my kids I developed endo which sent me into 3 month long bouts of menstruation without reprieve. My OB suggested the Mirena rather than a total hysto, (despite the fact that I plan not to have anymore children) to help control the excessive bleeding. Long story short... I hate the Mirena and will NEVER go back on it. I had a tubal ligation in 2005 so I'm not worried about getting pregnant but I'd rather bleed for three months straight than have to deal with the horrible side effects of this IUD. Before the Mirena I was 132lbs. and happy with that. I am now 163lbs. I bike, I hike, I eat healthy. I've spent so much money trying to lose the 30 lbs. I gained I could be a spokes model for almost every diet out there. The inability to lose weight lead to a severe low self esteem and eating disorder, as well as depression. I break out like a teenager (acne on back, jaw line and forehead), have had severe (no exaggeration) memory loss and am forever up and down in the mood department. Until recently, I never even considered it could be the IUD. Now I know better. Wish me luck and I wish all of you the best too. The Mirena may work for some...but it's definitely not for me.

i had merina for 3 yrs, and i gained over 50 pds i tried everything tp get thev weight off nothing worked i would lose 2 pds at the most ,since its been out ive lost 6 pds and i just had it removed on 05/31/2011 i feel so muh better i was having infections from it also and stomach pains,no sex drive,servere mood swings, always depressed,back pain no ,energy ,memmory lost,nervousness i would not ever get it again and i wouldnt recomend it for anyone i felt so bloated now i feel great im stepping foward to my weight lost goals ,but i could not lose any weight but 1,or 2 pds while on merina,and i had an fishy odar from my vagina always no matter how much i douche and cleaned sex was very painful and my partner complained of it stadding his penis also so i think i made the perfect choice taking it out

thank good i found this site. i thought i was going crazy.i had Mirena inserted in january this year and have since then gained 15 pounds. first i assumed my new relationship was the reason, but even all the wining and dining couldn't have made me go from a size 8 to BARELY fitting into a size 10 in such a short time.I loved Mirena, since i have almost no period and no more cramps ( i did in the first 3 month) but the weight gain is out of control and reading all of these comments and see how much other woman have gained in a short period of time, makes me want to have it removed.

It does everything i need it to do, but this price is to high.

i went from slightly slightly overweight to OBESE since i had it inserted.

On the phone the OBGYN made it sound like its not a big deal and wants to "consult" about this situation. after reading this, no consultation needed.

i hope they can find a way to make Mirena work better, and have it be the miracle they want it to be.

hello there! i had the mirena iud for 2 years and gained roughly about 20 pounds. after doing research on it i seen alot of women were having the same weight gain problem.So i made a dr app. and got my iud removed even though my doc didnt want me to and gave me a whole lecture on how the iud could not be causing this and even did testing on my thyroid. Well its now been 8 days since i had it removed and i have llost 5 pounds! Im So excited and hope the weight keeps coming off! :)

Hi there girls. well I had the mirena in for 10 years and depo for 2 years before that so havent had a period for 12 years, can you believe in all that time i never read a post about it, I just thought i was getting young alzeimers. the fog in my head and memory loss (thankfully) i realise now may be due to the mirena. I got it removed yesterday and am terrified after reading these posts that i will bleed like a maniac and will have this "crash" as they call it, but it will all be worth it if i can get my head back together, i feel like ive been stoned for 10 years. im 39, have a 19 year old child and told the doc i didnt want another mirena so she gave me a mini pill with the same stuff in it as the mirena, thinkin twice about taking it, might get tubal ligation, i will keep u posted on the progress... G

well, this blog was an interesting find. i just got my mirena removed 2days ago. ive had it in since 2007 shortly after the birth of my son.Ive read research on mirena which states that only 5% of women gain weight on the iud. i guess each and every one of us are part of that percentage. and as most of you stated doctors are so convinced that it does not cause weight gain. Actions speak louder than words.in my case it wasnt really a massive weight gain but a struggle to get it off. ive hated my body since ive given birth. looking in the mirror was painful. so i exercised and exercised and ate close to nothing and only losing five pounds for it to be gained right back. i hated not knowing what was going on with my body.the first night after it was removed i lost 4lbs, without putting any effort to anything. i stay thirsty and dont have an appetite. wow, what a differance the bloating feeling is gone. heres to a new me in 2011. thank you for letting me share my story.

I am 20 i curently have my iud still in place i thought my body just changed after i had my baby (my only child) i had it put in about 8 weeks after i had him ive gained 30 pounds in less than a year and cannot loose weight my menstral cycle has almost stopped i have spotted 2 times and it felt like i was in labor all over agian i honestly think that mirena needs a law suit or if nothing else atention needs to be noticed about haw severe these sideeffect really are im goin to look in to getting mine takken out thank you ladies.

Hello ladies! So glad I found this. I have had a horrid time using the mirena. I originally got one last year. After two months and nothing but pain went back for a check. Was sent for an ultrasound where they discovered the device had perforated my uterus. Had it removed the next day. Went back on the pill which was changed several times due to mood fluctuations. This past January while on the pill that I had taken diligently at the same time daily and consistently I found out I was pregnant. Already having a son that's almost ten I was unprepared to have another child so far apart. After getting past the initial upset I became happy about my bundle of joy who was now at 12 weeks. I started having bleeding and pain and within three weeks miscarried. Found out the problems were due to the original perforation from the mirena. Very rare issue according to my doctor. After the surgery to remove my dead fetus I switched to a different gynecologist. She's been great except we decided I still needed a birth control method not wanting to feel the loss that I had just been through again anytime soon. After much talking about nuvaring (allergic to it) the pill ( that I had previously conceived while on) the implanon implant ( wasn't much into being stabbed) and the mirena ( already dealt with more perforation) I stupidly decided to try one more time with the five year mirena. They lured me back in with promises that it would be correctly inserted with this practice ( which it is as far as I know). They followed up with two ultrasounds to make sure it was properly placed and assured me I'd be happy with it this time around. Since this most recent insertion it's been one thing on top of another. I've gained fifteen pounds despite trying like hell to lose the excess weight on a 1200 calorie diet with lots of exercise for the two months.. Also my hair has become much much thinner on top of my head, my face breaks out like I'm in high school all over again. Problems with facial hair. Ughhhh. Bleeding every time I have sex with my husband for at least two days afterwards not including the randomness of my period.. Longer than ever before and sometimes twice a month or nothing for two months. Bloating, headaches, having to fight to do anything that takes energy. Depressed, erratic mood swings.. I cry more than I ever have in my life over nothing, even I can't understand it. Memory loss, etc., etc., etc.. I experience anger or rage for no reason at all (my husband has used the word psychotic). I Was never this way before at any point in my life. I've scheduled an appointment this week for removal. I just want to be me again and have my life back. Going to try going back on the pill and whatever happens just happens. Hopefully these symptoms disappear rapidly. This website has given me hope that I'm not just slowly going crazy. Good luck to everyone else and NEVER recommend this to a woman you know!

I have had my Mirena for two years this month. I have gained 40 lbs in that time. The weight is mainly in the abdomen and breasts. I also have the short term memory loss and fogginess that others have described. I have dizziness and pain in my ovaries has started in the last few weeks. I also have decreased sex drive and am ALWAYS hungry!!

I have tried every diet known to man in these last two years and nothing has worked. Only today did I start thinking that it could be the Mirena and am SO SO SO glad to have found all of these stories! I have a day off on Friday and am going to make an appointment to have it taken out.

Thank you ALL for posting and I will keep everyone updated on the weight loss.

I can't be more thankful and happy that I found this blod. Took about 3 tons of weight of my shoulders. I already feel like new person. I have 3 kids and my last one was when I was 37. Shortly after the baby I had Mirena placed being convinced by doctor that that is the best thing for me, no side effects and complete freedom. Few months into my Mirena I felt like I was pms-ing all the time. I was on fire. Girls at work told me that I am very snappy. I called the doctor and was told to take calcium supplement 600mg daily and will go away. I tried for few weeks and no difference. About year into it I realized I was very tired, more exosted, no desire for anything. Went to my regular pcp thinking thyroid. Did all the tests and everything was fine. He knew I had 3 kids, business and busy schedule and his comment was " horse is only a horse!". That really made me feel better, not. I was 145 pounds before my 3rd baby. I am now 175 and cannot bring it down. Tried all kind of diets, pills..... Would loose 5 and gain back 6. My body shape changed, big belly , large breast. My husband could talk more about my mood. Few days ago I took pregnancy test due to all the symptoms I had. When it came out negative I started searching for answers and found you all. What a relief. I am turning 41 next week and have scheduled removal of Mirena as my birthday gift. I can't wait to feel myself again, my energy back, sex drive back, no more dealing with dryness, weight loss and finally see the results of my Billy Blanks boot camp routine. I wish everybody good luck with removal. I wish I followed my instinct long time ago :(. I will keep evdrybody posted after next week... Keeping my fingers crossed!!!!!

Ok I am 20 years old i have the mirens! All i have heard is comments on how bad the mirena is can someone please explain! I am nervous now and set a appointment for July 5 to get my mirena taken out! To be honest i have had depression days worst than others and can easily snap Into a bad mood is this the mirena? Also have been experiencing side pains on my ovary! What birth control is safe for me? I have a child and did at the age 17 and dont want one for a while! Helpp im young i dont want this mirena to ruin my body!

And it's gone. I feel so relieved. It wasn't big deal for me to have it removed. I guess I was the lucky one that it did not traveled anywhere. Little bit of bleeding and cramping for right now. My doctor said it takes about 3 cycles before your body starts returning to normal. Supposedly you start to ovulate 2 weeks after removal. For right now I do not want any BC, just let my body to recover. I am looking forward to calm days, more energy and hopefully drop in #s on the scale. Good luck to everybody!!!

wow...I had the Paragard inserted in early February only to experience constant miserable cramping and bleeding for three and a half months...on 5/25/2011 I had the Paragard taken out and the Mirena inserted on the same visit...I have always weighed somewhere between 125-130 lbs...I have always been active (run,yoga, etc) and pretty much eat reasonably and maintain a slender athletic build...I work out with a trainer twice a week and still run and do yoga...I now weigh 140 lbs and I have a disgusting spare tire around my belly and I am so bloated, I honestly look like I could be 3-4 months preganant... totally not attractive. I am a very social person and love to get dressed up and go out...I have no desire to get dressed up because I feel disgusting...I eat right and work out to be healthy, but the dispersement of this weight gain makes me look like a very unhealthy person. I have never looked in the mirror and thought I looked unhealthy. No matter how much I work out and eat sensibly, the weight keeps coming on- my trainer is baffled...after reading this blog I am no longer baffled...I am showing up to my OBGYN tomorrow morning without an appointment to have this thing REMOVED!!!!!! I have spent over $3000 on a trainer this year only to end up heavier and more out of shape than I was when I started! What a nightmare- I only hope the weight will start coming off soon- I have a beach vacation in two weeks, and for the first time in my life, I am mortified to be in a bikini...ugh!

Thank you so much for starting this blog....I finally have some answers!!

I had my Mirena IUD inserted in February of 2011. Within the first month I gained 10 pounds. I hadn't changed my eating, exercising or stress levels so I was very surprised at the weight gain.

I started training for a half-marathon (with hopes that I'd lose some weight) in March. I ran 197 miles training and never lost an ounce!! Seriously, not an ounce! I was so disappointed and frustrated - I knew that I was eating right (I work with a nutritionist)...yet nothing! I am now half way through training for my second half-marathon...I'm running, cross-training, and eating healthy...and AGAIN nothing as far as weight loss.

Thanks to your blog, I am now wondering if the IUD is a big part of my problem?

I had the mirena put in right after my daughter was born one year ago. In that time I have experienced more frequent migranes, mood swings and random spotting. I have had little pooch on my stomach like I did when I was 5 months pregnant and unsightly back fat. I would work out 4 nights a week and cut out all carbs out of my diet and nothing came off. Went to the dr for my annual and got on the scale and I weighed 20 pounds more than I did at the time of giving birth and 25 pounds more than at the time I had it inserted. I was so upset that I insisted my doctor to remove it right now and she did. I can't wait to get back to normal.

My Husband and I have decided to get a vescestomy, so I am wanting to get this horrible thing out. I had my son in dec 2008 got the mirena feb. 2009. I gained a total of 40 pounds and lost only 12. I am working my but off trying to lose the weight, but nothing is working even with a 1200 calorie diet. Lately I have been bleeding hevier than I ever had with this stupid thing in, and have been having cramps. I even went to the Dr. because of the pain and she told me I probaly had a cyst on my ovarie that ruptured. After reading all these stories I am determined to get rid of it. I am just hoping that when it is taken out I wont bleed until I am anemic. I dont understand why the Drs stand behind a product that isnt good for their patients, it upsets me deeply. I wish all of you well. and I hope that the removal of mirena will help me lose the weight, and make me feel normal again.

Hi all! Thank you for all that you've shared here about your Mirena IUD!! I'm so grateful I've come across this site sooner rather than later! I had my Mirena IUD put in about 3 months ago! I weighed 58kilo's (sorry I'm australian we weigh by kilo's, anyway) since I was 18 I have been this weight, I am now 34. After having this curse put in my uterus I am now 65kilo's! I walk 6km's a day and lead a busy life and I cannot budge this gut growing around my waist! I am 5'4" and was a chubby child but once i hit my teens i slimmed down. The only time in my adult life i've weighed this much was just after I'd given birth to my son! I know that I am not huge right now, but I can't budge this weight and it seems every week i get larger! This implant has helped with making my periods lighter and has also helped with period pain. This was really a quick fix for my doctor rather than actually finding out what my problem was! I am now getting acne on my face and also mildly on my back (this has never happened to me before!) I also have found that my short memory is getting worse and worse! SCARY!! I was never told of any of these side effects! I have had a history of depression on and off through my life and thought that maybe my down days, my angry moods, my lethargic days were a cause of depression but I do not believe this to be the case anymore! It is Saturday morning here, on Monday I plan on calling my doctor and having this removed! I want to thank you all again for sharing your stories, it turns out I'm not mad and i'm not imagining things! Praise the heavens, this curse will be out very very soon!!

Hi there, I am 32 years old. My dghtr is 17mths and I have been struggling to lose weight ever since I had my IUD, but I thought the gain was due to my stopping breastfeeding at 4mths. I have done what u normally do when yoyu want to lose weight:eat less, drink more water..that usually works. I am heavier than I was at 9mnths preggo. All my fat is in my gut.. It is so depressing :( And whats worse, is that my husband has mentioned it. My uniforms are tight. My facial hair is out of control..I'm doing laser treatments that aren't helping. My complexion has gotten darker.. And acne is popping new pimples everyday.Also noticed a nasty odor from discharge alot of the time. So I switched to Dove sensitive.Now I know why.. I thought my lack of energy was bcuz of the extra weight, but I am so glad you ladies have shown me the light!!!!I feel so justified. I told my husband this am. He said he noticed that I have been breaking out alot on my arms and face.. I luv the fact that I get no periods.. but this isn't worth it!!!

HI EVERYONE, IM TEQUILA AND I HAD MIRENA SINCE MY 6 WEEK CHECK UP.... I HAD MY TWINS MARCH 25 , 2008. I GOT MIRENA AND LOVE IT, BUT NOW IM CONCERNED AFTER READING COMMENTS ON HERE BECAUSE I HAVE GAINED WEIGHT AND CANT LOOSE IT AND I DO EXERCISE... I THOUGHT IT WAS NORMAL. MY MOOD CHANGED , MU HUSBAND SAY I NEVER WANT TO HAVE SEX ANYMORE... IM WORRIED... I THINK IM GOING TO HAVE IT REMOVED IN A FEW DAYS... I WEIGHED 140 AFTER DELIVERING AND I AM 5*10... NOW IM WEIGHING IN AT 160... I PLAN TO GO BACK TO NORMAL, I AM NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THE BLEEDING AGAIN... I HAVENT HAD A PERIOD IN 3 YEARS

Just had my Mirena removed after having it for 6 1/2 years. I had NO other side effects except weight gain. Living period-free was delightful, but now at the age of 42 I find the ability to lose the 25+ pounds I have gained since being on the Mirena more of a priority than having a monthly visitor. I've tried everything to lose the weight while on Mirena and nothing worked. I have stayed the same pinnacle weight for 3 years steady now no matter what I eat or do. I hope to post later with results of weight loss and less belly pooch living Mirena-free. Anyone out there with actual results you can share??

I posted earlier in June. I had the Mirena taken out on June 24th. I have lost 10 lbs so far. ALL of the other side effects have disappeared including the short term memory loss. I feel like a different person!!! I feel like I did before I got the Mirena! I wish I would have never gotten the darn thing!! I have had two normal periods since having it removed, also. I am so excited about having a normal sex drive again. Everyone that is reading these posts -- do yourself a favor and have it taken out!!!!

Pull out and pray didn't work with my 3 year old and the pill didn't work with my soon to be 2 year old in October. I chose the IUD (not the copper one tho) November 2009 which was 6 weeks post partum. Upon insertion I had a panic attack which should of been my first clue. I never had panic attacks! Had the same symptoms as everyone has mentioned. Bloating, very hard to lose weight, moody and always found something to argue about, mini panic attacks, feeling like I'm going to fall or passout, retained water and soooooo much more. What the Iud does is tricks your body into thinking it's pregnant so you'll notice everyone's symptoms are similar to that of a pregnant woman. I've stuck it out for two years because I really don't want another child anytime soon. My boys are a handful as is. Mine is scheduled to be removed Sept 21, 2o11. I'll stop back later and post changes after removal. Damn, why can't there be a birth pill for men!!!...........Shannon

I got the Mirena IUD put in at the beginning of Dec of 2010. I wasn't small to begin with but i'm tall so my weight at that time, 188, didn't look horrible. Well i got the IUD removed two days ago...Sept 19th...and my weight was 216 lbs!!!! I had fat in places i've never seen before!! Zero control over my weight loss. The day after i got it removed i had already lost 4 pounds. At the very least it has given me a lot of motivation to work out harder and eat better. Everyone's bodies react differently but if you've gained a large amount of weight that WILL NOT go away then IUD's are not for you. i'm back on the pill and can't wait to get this flab off!!

It is refreshing to see that I am not alone in my experience with Mirena! I got it June 2010 after dealing with an unwanted pregnancy which i refused to have to experience again. I thought this would be great since I had previously used Nuva Ring and still experienced heavy periods when I removed it. I am anemic so I was looking forward to having normal iron levels since Mirena would put an end to my heavy bleeding. It definitely did this but I feel the cost was greater than the benefit. It has become impossible to lose weight on this thing. I used to be able to drop weight so easily when I worked out and dieted. Now it has become impossible. I gained about 25 to 30pounds in 1 year and 3 months and was back to the weight I had when pregnant with my first child. My friends do not believe me but all the posts here are evidence of it. I feel depressed, crampy and bloated on and off and I didn't even know that the memory loss I had been experiencing could be related to this until I came across this forum! I must note that it did not effect my sex drive which has always been through the roof. But I'm scheduling to have it removed within the next few days. I need to get some kind or normalcy back in my life. All in all, I probably would have kept it in if the weight and memory loss hadn't been an issue. I could have stuck it through with the other side effects. I am not looking forward to the heavy periods that will probably resume once I take it out. I guess that is the price I have to pay for getting my life back. I can't wait to start actually shedding pounds. It's been so fustrating. If I do decide to use BC again (for now I'm going to attempt abstinence since I'm not in a relationship) I will either get the nonhormonal IUD (Paraguard) which has it own nasty side effects or this nonhormonal BC pill you can get online. Something's gotta give! Thank you all for sharing and I wish everyone the best nomatter what you do. Only you can decide what's best for your body.

I cannot believe that I am not alone in this. I had my IUD insterted last December, and since then nothing but hell. I've experienced abdominal pain, a weight gain of 40lbs (I'm a dancer) and thinning hair. I thought this would be the best BC option, but clearly not. I went from being a size 6 to a 14 while still dancing, eating healthy and going to the gym regularily. I'm getting it removed next week and cannot wait to get rid of this bloating!

Hi girls I've been on mirena for over 2 and a half years I got it right after I gave birth to my second daughter, and boy can I tell you it was a big mistake, I always been around 140 pound to 145 all my life basically. I always been happy about my weight I always felt like it was under control, well until now I weigh 190 pounds :(( well anyways here's my story- so I put it in right after my third week of giving birth to my daughter, I did experience pain on my back couple a weeks and very heavy spotting like for a month bleeding and a lot of weight gain And very very bad memory loss but on top of that I can't lose 1 single pound, I've tried everything before I can lose weight quickly and now I can't no matter how hard I try I can't lose 1 single pound. It's really starting to get to me because it's been 2 and a half years and I can't drop 1 pound I'm still 190, well kinda think I wanna remove it now, after reading all these comments I'm really starting to think that it might be true why I'm not losing any weight :((

I've had mirena in me about 2 years. I can't lose 1 pound I don't understand I tried everything :/ not only that my memory lost is getting worse everyday my husband even gets mad at me for not remembering anything :(( and on top of that I feel not me I feel weird I feel unhappy I feel ugly I feel like not doing anything but staying home, so after reading all these comments you guys are leaving I'm starting to think that maybe i should remove it from me, thank you girls thank you for leaving comments so we can all realize what is really doing to our bodies!!!! God bless!!

Omg I'm so happy I found this! I got my IUD in march 2011 and went in at 142 and am now at 156! I asked my doc and she too said it was a thyroid and of corse it was not so I have an apt November 4th to get it out. I hope I can return to my old self and not this unhappy moody larger version of me! After my son I didn't so a BC and I nursed him by the time he was 6m I was weighing less then before I was prego when my daughter was boren I left the hospital at 155 8wks later for my check up and insertion of the IUD I was 142 and today 156 and I'm still nursing her and more active then ever I'm a stay at home mom of two under two so in busy non stop so this gain makes no since other the. The damn IUD! Like said I get out in November and will for sure post back! Wish me luck!

I had my Mirena inserted in October of 2007. I just had it removed today. so, over the last 4 years I have gained a huge amount of weight. I've lost interest in sex and now that I've see some other posts on it, I have noticed some increased facial hair. Also, I have always had a dull ache in my ovaries like PMS.. that never results in a period. I have also had fatigue. I am so happy to have found this forum. Having it taken out during my routine PAP was a piece of cake. I didn't even notice she did it. I am looking forward to losing weight now and having a highter level of patience and tollerence with my family. :-) I'll check back to follow up. ~Heidi

I had Mirena for about 8 months. I gained 60 lbs in that time despite much more frequen exercise an eating significantly less. I was overweight before I had my baby. When I got this thing it mad me scared. I lost 6 lbs the first week after it was gone but that is not enough. I need to get down to a point where I don't have to starve myself to fel secure that I wnt have a heart attack. I am thouroughly miffed with it!!

Mirena is the devil,.... I had mirena iud put in august 2011 after being told by my gp that I had high blood pressure I then went to my ob to get back on birth control after a few years of absence due to a dreadful divorce... I man hated.... my ob tells me no pills with high blood pressure I flipped out,,,, I said either is a lose lose I do not want kids and I can do without a heart attack being a mom of three kids... So I took the plunge to the tune of 1000.00 plus 225 install for something they rave about at the ob office... No period no pms I'm in..... Wellllllllllll 6 weeks in.... I have gained 33 pounds. Yes... Wtf.... I am 5,4 and always had a cute figure big boobs but this is illegal I am a 38 dd omg... I am so bloated all the time my fingers look like sasuage my toes are plump... I went to my gp for help he put me on lasix for the water and said get that iud out..... I am dizzy I always feel like someone is sitting on my head.... I cant kneel down because my legs are so tight... I am a beast to everyone I yell short temper... So tired.... Well. I give up mirena out you go..... Im gettting this demon out tommorrow and I can't wait I just hope this weight damage is reversible.

I am sorry to hear all of your horror stories but am so glad that I am not alone. I got mirena in the spring of this year and my life has been turned upside-down since. Most upsetting to me (and those who have to deal with me :-) is my terrible mood. I am so quick to anger. I almost went on prescription medication to TREAT anxiety and depression -- thanks a lot MIRENA. I AM GETTING IT OUT NEXT WEEK AND CANNOT WAIT! stay strong ladies! Maybe they will invent an IPD for the guys so we don't have to deal with this crap anymore!

So finally I decided to remove this because I'm going crazy with my head itching, sleeping problems, weight gain, cant lose weight, itching all over my body, memory lost, anger problems, feeling like I'm going into labor with cramps all over my body :(( hair loss, and so on :(( I'm very happy today finally come today to remove it at 10 am :) I just want my life back to normal hopefully 4 months after I remove it goes by quick so my body has time to balance back :)) the only thing I'm scared of is afterwards that people say they feel like crap for 2 weeks, well I put up with 2 years with it well 2 weeks aint nothin for me :)) girls I'll let you know what happens in a couple of weeks in a couple of weeks :))

I just got my Mirena in last wednesday, right now regretting it. I am prone to migraines and been having on since. Normally, I get 2-4 a month lasting 1-2 days. The meds are only working to numb the pain for about 2-3 hours, but I can still feel the pressure and tension.

Also, I been experiencing severe cramping that I have take a lot of meds to make it manageable.

I know it is wicked early, but neither cramping nor the migraines are getting better. Normally, with my migraines I can get them to go away by resting and relaxing, but that is not working.

I've had mirena in since March 2008, plus I've been on the pill on and off since I was 19 (I'm 32) due to debilitating endometriosis. Doc said mirena would most likely result in no periods, therefore no pain. I haven't had a proper period for 3 years but I would sometimes get pms symptoms prior, then spotting and mild cramps when my period was due.

I already noticed that I gained weight while on the pill, andnoticed that I've gained even more weight on mirena, especially my stomach and breasts which feel completely out of proportion to the rest of my body. I am only 4'10 - before mirena + pill, I was 88lb at my lowest weight and 32B, and at my heaviest on mirena + the pill, 148lb and 39DD, which puts me into the 'obese' category. I've been on a diet and exercise regime which previously worked well when I was off the pill when I was about 25 - was 121lb then dropped to 103lb in about 6-8 weeks. However, I seem to have no success on this diet/exercise plan (or any other I have tried) when I'm on these contraceptives.

Worked with a personal trainer for 3 months, exercised 2 hours a day plus strict diet cutting out carbs, I lost 2kginitially then could not lose any more weight - he didn't understand it, especially as I kept a food diary as well so he was checking what I was eating. I feel that my metabolism is at a complete standstill - when I was 18 I could eat what I wanted and never gained weight but now I feel that compared to others, I have to eat tiny portions of food and I'm still huge!

I had hair loss and constant chronic fatigue and thought it was my thyroid, but apparently it's not my thyroid or any kind of vitamin deficiency. I'm getting other symptoms like bizarre headaches, back and neck pain, memory loss, vision problems, and neurological symptoms which may or may not be related (have been to hospital twice, 4 blood tests, MRI, 3 specialists so far, no one has a diagnosis). Lately I've just been feeling and looking sick (pale complexion) and don't feel like leaving the house.

After reading all of your posts, I am now convinced that mirena (and the pill) is the cause of most, if not all of my health issues. I ran out of the pill a few days ago and I'm getting the mirena removed at the first available opportunity, and hope that I can lose some weight and start feeling normal again! I'd like to hear more weight loss success stories and will post my own.

I am so glad I found this site!!! I have two kids age 11 and 12 right after having them I had a copper IUD inserted and had it for 10 years no problems , no weight gain or any side effect for that matter , since I had to remove it and get another one I trusted my doctor , I received a Mirena Feb. 2011 and since then I have had bad acne on my jawline , pregant like side effects, and have gained 25 pounds!! I wish I would have gone with what I had before I weighted 120 lbs and was lossing weight with it but not this one it doesn't matter what I do I can NOT loss weight anymore and I'm only 30 so it can't be age!! I have called the doctor to have it removed I would rather take my chances than gain all this weight and have acne it is very depressive!! Thank you so much for all your posts :)

Omg reading all these comments I am convinced that all this craziness is due to that darn mirena. So this is my story. I got the mirena a yr after I gave birth to daughter 9-2007 I was 135 lbs after I had my daughter n stayed that way. Got that BC n I had my period on n off for a month so I went back to the Doc n said something has to give she put me on 800mg ibp n that stopped it. I have had my period the entire time. As of today I weight 193 I thought my tiredness n weight gain was from me just being lazy. I don't not work out but I do dance 2*3x's a week with no weight loss. Still I didn't think it had anything to do with it. I just got it taking out Nov 22 2011 not bcuz of problems but bcuz I want another child (crazy right ) but I do. So the 4 yrs I was on it I can say I have had tremendous weight gain, hair loss, loss in sex drive bcuz I used to have sex like 3x's a day im down to about 3x's a week, tiredness. I wish I had read about this a while ago.but oh well lessoned learned now I guess I can lose weight b4 I get preggo.

Im so glad i found this site. I had my mirena reinserted after having my 3rd child. I was 159 before i got pregnant and im 5*9. At my six week checkup i was 177 & dropping. My daughter will be a year next week and i am the same weight when i was @ 9 months pregnant (195). im having tis removed on monday with or without an appointment. I miss my size 7/8 clothes. Ill report on my dending weight loss. :-) RaShonda

I just got my Mirena removed 20 minutes ago and am bleeding like crazy! Is that normal? The removal was uncomplicated. I was about 135 pounds when the Mirena was inserted 5 yrs ago and am now 157! I'm 44 years old and don't know why I've gotten so big so fast...my OB told me today, "Just wait til you turn 50!"

i had the mirena put in a few months after my son was born in 2010 and my periods stopped a few months ago and they come back when im really stressed out but after reading some of these blogs its confusing to me because before i got pg i was 150 and before he was born i weighed in at about 200 and now after getting the mirena put in and having it for over a year i have lost weight and im now down to 144 and starting to gain it back little at a time. ive read about how people gain weight but i have lost it. . when it comes to my sex drive its ok but not like before. i still love sex dont get me wrong but i dont get into it as much as before i got this put in! im also verrry very scared about getting it taken out cuz i dont wanna bleed and have to go threw the "crash" as what they call it. i am a single mother and have a full time job that i need to be at everyday! this is soooooooooo confusing HELP ME!!

I have had mirena since aug. 8, 2009 ( shortly after giving birth) Android it hss been TERRIBLE! I have had 2 infections directly rehated to my IUD, horrible pain, neausea, moodiness, tender breasts, headaches, weak feelings in my legs, always tired, Android ceertain "positions" (old favs) hurt terribly. The laundry list goes on, And on... I had my twin sons Nov 25th 2008 after gaining 100 lbs... yuck... between then and the mirena insertion, I lost 50 lbs which is a huge deal seeing as though I'm only 5' . Since I got my iud I couldn't loose anymore weight. I'm very big on yoga And cardio as well.... I'm glad to say that I had that demon removed today And i already feel better! I meah no periods is nice and all, but I would rather be pregnant than deal with those symptoms ever again!

Hi mi name is Brenda Im been reading all of the comments n the only problems that i agree with everybody is the weight gain, after i had my baby i lost 30 pounds, and i got them back right after 6 months, i don't know what to do. I have to headache, back pain or anyhing else. please give me a advise

So I have had this bc for almost 5 years. I go to the gym four days a week do bootcamp eat healthy very active. No weight loss still after five years. I was at 135 prebaby and after baby 150 and nothing. Yeast infections everytime I have sex. I am calling my doctor because afyter reading this I am not insane. Thank u

Wow am I glad I had found this site! I am 19 years old and for the last 3 years, I have been getting the depo shots. I used to weigh a crisp 115 pounds and am now weighing in at 147 pounds. The weight had totally ruined my self confidence. So, about a month ago, I stopped getting the depo and went to see my doctor about an alternate birth control that wont cause weight gain. Of course, he was very enthusiastic about Mirena. He said that Mirena causes no weight gain whatsoever. I'm disappointed, yet glad, to have seen the truth about Mirena before I made the mistake of getting it inserted. But now my question is: what tyoe of birth control should I get instead that doesn't have the dreaded "weight gain" side-effect??

I am so glad that I had that dumb thing removed. I had mine removed 2 days ago. I had mine in for 3 1/2 years. I have put on so much weight since I had that thing. My face always broke out with acne and I always had atleast 2 pimples on my right cheek. Now 2 days later my face is feeling a lot smoother and is starting to clear. Thank God! I have been just spotting so far. As soon as it was removed, I put on a pad. An hour later I started menstruating. That thing caused me to have UTI'S. Terrible! The doctor said would you like to try the 10 year iud. I said NO!!!!!!! Never want it again. It's like the Mirena tricks your body to think its pregnant. Thats why I didn't get my period for so long. God did not intend for unatural mechanisms to be put in our body. These things throw our bodies out of whack. Blessings to all!

Hi! I had the Mirena put in 5 yrs. ago. Yeah..5 yrs. I had it removed today. I'm a stay at home mom. All men in my family here. My sisters have long since gotten "fixed" So I had no one to talk with about the things that were going on with my body. My husband is the "Mans man"type so there was no talking about it with him. ANNNYWAY :) So it was getting time to have the IUC removed and I started researching how I was going to feel after the removal. WOW!!! No clue...was blown away. Everything I was feeling and experiencing ...weight gain(at least 25 lbs); loss of sex drive; moody (that's the polite word);no energy...etc. etc. So Now I'm hoping for some stability in my moods and some heighten in the sex drive (and so is my husband) But I'm telling you It hurt coming out..just a sec or two..but the cramps,hot flashes,and headaches started almost the minute I got out of the doctors office. Now I'm wondering when my period will start. Signed: Free at last

I went back PPH who inserted my and they told the cramping is normal, but the mirgraine has nothing to do with the Mirena. I went to my primary care to rule out that it is nothing but a migraine. Well almost 2 months later, I have been dealing with a migraine every day and my primary has tried every thing from new migraine meds to seizure meds (so work for migraines) to no avail.

She has referred me to a Neurologist......with MRIs that were done of my brain.

I have an appointment with my gyno on thursday. I've lost 10lbs since it has been inserted. I think it is more due to the stress from the brain and that problem.

Thank you all so much for sharing your experiences. I thought I was doing something wrong or at the very least going crazy! I had joined Weight Watchers after my first son and lost 100 lbs, we got pregnant and had our 2nd child, and after his birth i decided to go on Mirena. well i got back into my weight watchers program and exercise routine, but from the time i got the mirena put in i have gained 26 lbs, even with hard work and diet control. I too am experiencing a loss of sex drive, memory loss, and increased depression; I know that it is not post pardum so this is the only other thing that has changed. I am calling the doctor tomorrow to get this taken out. I want to feel normal again!!! I will update a few weeks after it's removed to compare just to see how it all works out, but again thank you all for sharing! i feel so much better knowing im not alone!

I just found this blog. I went to the doc today and he wants to put an IUD in because my periods have been crazy. I am supposed to come in when I start again. I was talking to my friend and I thought she would come unglued...she started telling me all of the horror stories associated with weight gain...I already have to work hard at keeping weight off. I think I am going to check out other options now that I have read all of these posts. Thank you all!

So i was going to wait a little while before i posted my "after" comment, but it's amazing 2 days ago i got the Mirena taken out. ALREADY my mood is better, i am not as depressed as i was while i had the Mirena, my hair feels normal again, and the biggest issue, i didnt change anything about my diet or my workout schedule and i have lost 4 lbs, thats 4lbs in 2 days, and the only thing that changed was my removing the IUD. my doctor recommended the PARAGUARD, which is also an IUD but it doesnt have hormones so it "shouldn't" have any of these side effects. Im not jumping back into an IUD anytime soon, but thought i'd mention it incase anyone else wanted to try again. Good Luck everyone, while it's great being 'safe' with the Mirena i like feeling better! wouldn't try it again!!!

I had the mirena iud put in sept 2011 .I gained. 35 pounds in 4 months. I weight more now than I ever had . I have no sex drive and I'm always moody after reading this I made a appt to have it removed on Monday .I hope I could lose the weight as fast as it came on

that is terrible. I wish the best for you and your weight loss. i understand. I gained 40lbs. Had mine removed 2weeks ago. I started bleeding an hour after I had it removed. Bled heavily for 10 days straight. I am a warfarin patient and I was worried that I was loosing to much blood. I went to the lab and had my INR checked. Everything was normal praise GOD! I hope the best for you.

I have had the Mirena for almost a year and have gained about 10 pounds. I have tried EVERYTHING to get the weight off but no more than three pounds has come off in the last two months that I have been training for the mini-marathon. It's very frustrating. I'm not with anyone and don't plan on being with anyone for awhile so I'm having it removed in about two weeks. Hope the weight finally comes off!

I stumbled onto this site by accident and what an amazing find. After my daughter was born in 2009 I had the Mirena IUD put in place. After not feeling great for about 2 months I contacted my doctor who advised me that my symptoms would go away. They have not, nor have the additional almost 50 pounds that I have put on over the past two years. I have tried to lose the weight. My husband and I were gym rats before the baby so we went back to our routine and I went back to super detailed tracking of my intakes... Nothing. No weight loss and on top of it I have turned into SuperFreak which my amazing husband deals with sometimes daily. Thank God that he is not the leaving kind because he would have been long gone.

So here we are, planning baby #2, and I have an appointment to have the IUD taken out tomorrow. As I was filling out the paperwork and wanted to make sure I had the correct spelling for Mirena, I stumbled onto this blog. Ladies, you all have no idea what kind of an enlightening moment in time it was for me as I began reading your posts. I feel like I just got hit by an awakening of understanding. The weight gain, the inability to lose it no matter how hard I tried, the feeling of being always tired, the aches and pains... You all have helped more than you can ever know. Tomorrow can't get here soon enough! Thank You! Keep on blogging :)

I had the same problem as most women on here. I had my daughter in 2009 and kept about 10lbs of baby fat which put me around 144lbs. I had loved going to the gym through out my pregnancy and used to go everyday before she was conceived. Well 5 months after having her i got the mirena and had it for almost 2 years. after being on it for a few months i noticed that i went from 144 to 155 and couldn't figure out how the weight was held mostly around my tummy and thighs. So on January 16,2011 I decided to get it taken out its only been nine days and i am down to 148lbs that 7lbs lost after i had it and all my husband and i do is walk with our 2 yr old. mind you I am only 23 so i could be hitting the gym with alot of energy but i dont have to we walk for about 30-45 mins out and back and i have lost 7lbs and my diet or foods haven't changed much since my mirena was taken out 9 days ago. I hope that this enlightens some women to know the weight melted off instantly it was wonderful even hubby noticed the flat stomach... :) but just imagine if i was hitting the gym for about an hour 3 times a week id probably be back at 133 my prepregnancy weight.

I had the same problem as most women on here. I had my daughter in 2009 and kept about 10lbs of baby fat which put me around 144lbs. I had loved going to the gym through out my pregnancy and used to go everyday before she was conceived. Well 5 months after having her i got the mirena and had it for almost 2 years. after being on it for a few months i noticed that i went from 144 to 155 and couldn't figure out how the weight was held mostly around my tummy and thighs. So on January 16,2012 I decided to get it taken out its only been nine days and i am down to 148lbs that 7lbs lost after i had it and all my husband and i do is walk with our 2 yr old. mind you I am only 23 so i could be hitting the gym with alot of energy but i dont have to we walk for about 30-45 mins out and back and i have lost 7lbs and my diet or foods haven't changed much since my mirena was taken out 9 days ago. I hope that this enlightens some women to know the weight melted off instantly it was wonderful even hubby noticed the flat stomach... :) but just imagine if i was hitting the gym for about an hour 3 times a week id probably be back at 133 my prepregnancy weight.

****OOPS....IN THE OTHER POST I SAID JANUARY 16, 2011 AND I MENT 2012.....*****

I've had my Mirena since April 08 and I have gained over 30lbs since! I was still a little over weight after having my son in 07, but I was on my way back to being smaller. I cant seem to lose any weight NO MATTER what I do!!! I have talked with a couple friends that did the same thing and they had theirs removed and lost 40lbs! When I first got the Mirena things were great but every year after that things get worse. I am bloated 2 weeks a month, I cry ALL THE TIME, sharp pains, cramps, etc.. I was debating on having it removed but after reading other peoples posts and seeing I am not the only one I REALLY think a removal is in my near future!

Thank you so much ladies for all your comments. this has helped me more than anything. I got my Mirena in dec. 2008 after my son was born. My back hurt alot afterwards but i thought it was because of my weight and carrying the baby. I weighed 375 the day i had my son and couldnt get the weight off until 2010. I worked out 5 days a wk and ate ok but i still ended up weight 310 and weigh the same today. Ive been doing research on this mirena since the summer and could not believe these horrible stories but after reading it , everything made perfect sense. I cant lose the weight, my mood swings are crazy, i eat like a freak, i had to watch porn to get me in the mood for sex, i have horrible headaches, and im losing my long curly hair. i had the mirena removed 4 days ago and im bleeding like crazy, but i already feel better. The dr. told me on friday the only health concerns i should be worried about is my weight because at 5'3 and weighing 310lbs is not good. I told him i was on depo for 5 yrs prior to my son then i got prego and then got the mirena, so at what point could i possibly lose the weight? he didnt have much to say to that lol. im looking forward to my body getting back to normal and the bleeding to stop. Im indecisive about any form of bc at the moment cause i feel my body needs a break. Im just hoping i dont get prego in the mean time. i will NEVER get anything inserted in my body again.

Thank you so much ladies for all your comments. this has helped me more than anything. I got my Mirena in dec. 2008 after my son was born. My back hurt alot afterwards but i thought it was because of my weight and carrying the baby. I weighed 375 the day i had my son and couldnt get the weight off until 2010. I worked out 5 days a wk and ate ok but i still ended up weight 310 and weigh the same today. Ive been doing research on this mirena since the summer and could not believe these horrible stories but after reading it , everything made perfect sense. I cant lose the weight, my mood swings are crazy, i eat like a freak, i had to watch porn to get me in the mood for sex, i have horrible headaches, and im losing my long curly hair. i had the mirena removed 4 days ago and im bleeding like crazy, but i already feel better. The dr. told me on friday the only health concerns i should be worried about is my weight because at 5'3 and weighing 310lbs is not good. I told him i was on depo for 5 yrs prior to my son then i got prego and then got the mirena, so at what point could i possibly lose the weight? he didnt have much to say to that lol. im looking forward to my body getting back to normal and the bleeding to stop. Im indecisive about any form of bc at the moment cause i feel my body needs a break. Im just hoping i dont get prego in the mean time. i will NEVER get anything inserted in my body again.

I had my mirena coil removed just before christmas and startred hrt,, for medical reasons I had to wait to have it replaced ,in in jan2012 I started slimmimg world lost 2 lbs the first week and 2 and half the next week,then had my coil put back in ,one week later went for my weigh in and only lost 8ozs,,,...I was gutted..could this have somethig to do with my coil ? Gilian :(

OK, here's why you cant lose weight on Mirena or any BC: It emits a fake progesterone. Your body stops making its own in time. Yours is now replaced with fake. FAke is not as good as your own body makes. You will become estrogen dominant, this leads to insulin resistance. That will make you gain weight. Your body will crave good "real progesterone",it will think you are starving of it and store its needs around your middle. You cant stop it. As long as your on BC, your body wants the "real stuff" and so it stores it in fat around your belly. You cant lose weight, no excercise or diet can help, if you're on Mirena. Im 50, am phyically active on a regular excercise routine that I had maintained my weight for 10 years, pre Mirena. Then Mirena, 5 years ago. (Not going thru menopause at all yet per doc.) I gained 35 pounds on Mirena, starting around the 2nd year. Upper lip hair, thinning of head hair, high BP developed, total short term memory loss (thought I had early alzheimers!) Had the Mirena out 30 days ago, have lost 10 lbs, BP is lowered (never thought MIrena connected), Ive had to change BP meds 3times in last month, because it keeps going too low, and my MEMORY is BACK! NO ONE can tell me that wasnt the Mirena. YOu will have a hormone crash 7-10 days after removal. IF you have had it in a while. You can use "natural progesterone cream to supplement" not prescription , over the counter to help with symptoms. Good luck to all. Take it out at mimium of 2 years, even if you think you have no side effects. You Will! the memory loss alone is scary! I mean you cant remember what you wore yesterday. The fog is terrible.

Well I see my doctor next thursday and going to see about getting it removed now! I feel intense cramps well working out or riding horse, also there is spotty bleeding too!! I will not tolerate this!! It is coming out.

Hello, My name is Jessica. I am 25yrs old, NO KIDS. 3/2008 I have had my Mirena for 5 year. I am schicaled for removal tomorrow Feb 14,2012.

a Little scared, because im the only person I know, who had. I had a D.N.C at 6month, an had Mirena put in shortly after.

I have had all the downer of mirena hair loss, weight gain, mood swings, and the spontaneous sharp pain, that would happen when sitting, swimming, laying down, Loss of sex drive...(that the best way not to have a baby, KILL THE SEX DRIVE)...

Ive had mirena since I was 20. I thought the mood swing, Yo-Yo ing weight gain, I thought I just had bad memory

ocomyerbstimwondering if anyone has had a mirena perfoate their uterus or imbed in the uterus. I had mine placed in two years ago due to excessive cramps and heavy bleeding during my cycle. I did gain some weight (15 pounds), but it was worth it to not lose three days a month.I went in for the check up and an ultrasound which did not locate the device but did discover a cyst mass the size of an orange. The follow up xray shows the device is still there, but not where it should be. It will have to be removed surgically, and I wonder if anyone knows recovery time. I am considering a partial hysterectomy, I am 47 years old and done with baby building.... comments, ideas.... thanks

I cannot express how much hope this blog provides. I have had my IUD in for around 3.5 years and have been so frustrated with the weight gain and inability to lose weight. I have done multiple cleanses, weight watchers, diets, exercise, you name it. I'm planning on getting it taken out in the next month and hopefully can shed a little weight before my summer wedding. I really don't want to be a chubby bride and see the pictures on the wall for life with me looking and feeling like this. For some reason I continually have doctors that tell me it's in my head and that in no way the IUD has any part of this. Thank you for providing me a bit of hope and a place for me to not feel like a crazy lady.

I had it out at 4.30 today and already feel the relief. I had it put in Aug last year and since this time I have not felt right, left arm pains (doctors says its a tendern), not wanting to go out (doc says depression), huge weight gain (lets test for thyroids), continued bloating (doc says test liver function), what was that i just said and/or did? (doc says memory loss is unexplained)....yep I thought I was going mad and all along I said it was the dam coil...I want my life back and advocate against the marina coil, it destroyed my life in such a short time. I so hope I will feel more benefits soon. Take care all.

I am 5+ years of having my Mirena and cannot wait to have it removed next week. Like most of you I have struggled with weight gain in my tummy, breasts and thighs to the tune of about 25 lbs notwithstanding that I exercise 4 times regularly every week and keep my calorie intake between 1200 and 1500 daily. Will keep you posted on my removal. BTW I also suffered head itchiness, short term memory loss, bloating, etc.

Hey Ladies, am having my mirena removed tomorrow - as in just 6 weeks with it I have gained 4-5kg (despite having a constant weight for the last 3 years, eating well and working out 3-4 times per week), I'm losing clumps of hair, having to take painkillers on an almost daily basis to manage the constant cramps/ intermittent sharp stabbing pains on the left side of my abdomen. And I'm only 33 (no kids). I'm sure this works for many women - but I gained 2 stone whilst on depo for 2 years, and I think some women are just way more sensitive to progesterone-only birth control than others. I was given the mirena to help with endometriosis (following laser ablation surgery) - but once I've cleared the extra weight I'll be going back to the combined pill (oestrogen + progesterone). I struggled to lose weight on the pill, but equally I didn't gain weight, also didn't get any other nasty side effects - so I think balancing it with the oestrogen helped. Everyone is different though; so I guess give the mirena a go, and if it doesn't work get it removed and try another method. It might take a bit of time, but eventually you'll find something to suit you and your biology! Good luck!

I am 24, without children. I had my Mirena placed in August 2011. Insertion was AWFUL, one of the worst pains I've ever felt (and I've had a fair share of kidney stones). I wanted it removed within a week, the cramping it caused was so bad, but I was determined to make it through the 3-6 month "trial" as the nurse recommended.I would like to say that all the literature I was given prior to insertion downplayed the pain of insertion and likened it to a "slight pinching feeling". Again, it was one of the most painful experiences I've ever had, and I was doubled over in pain for the following 48 hours.

I've had it for 6 months now, and my periods are still fairly regular each month, and are extremely light, which is really great.

However, each period is accompanied by STRONG cramping, which I had never experienced before having the Mirena placed. I also gained almost 20 pounds, although my activity level and calorie intake has remained the same as pre-insertion.

There's something a bit creepy about knowing you have a foreign object in your body. Each time I have the bad cramps, I feel like my body is rebelling against the IUD.

Strongly considering getting it removed. It's too bad, because it is a convenient form of birth control and having light periods is wonderful. But reading the other posts makes me worried. It's quite frightening that so many people have had such negative side effects.

I had Mirena placed end of November, and now, 3 months later have had it removed (just came back from the doctor). Thanks to this blog site, I was able to put together the side effects I had been experiencing and realize it was all from the Mirena. My side effects:#1- The so called "threads" are more like wires and my husbnad can feel them, this has negatively affected my sex life (although I think my sex drive has decreased because this didn't bother me as much as it normally would). #2- Acne - I have had big pimples especially around my jaw line, not just one but at this moment I have 4 zits in that area. #3 - My breasts are so sensitive! #4 - Discharge, my underwear shows white/yellow discharge every day. #5 - Weight gain which is what brought me to this site. I have gained about 5 pounds, but normally if I exercise and restrict my diet, I can lose. Well, after a month of working out 5-6 days per week and eating 1200-1400 calories, writing everything I eat down - I have not lost one pound. I know that you can hit platues and have difficulty losing weight, but I have never had this much trouble before. I was getting so discouraged and realized the only thing different is the Mirena. So I did some research and it brought me to this site. The only positive about Mirena was no period, but it is not worth it! Thankfully, my doctor was understanding and the removal was very easy and painless. I am glad I found this site and didn't have it in for years before realizing all the negatives. It frustrates me that I was charged $450 to have it put in and had it removed after 3 months, but I am so glad to have it out. I guess some people are just more sensitive to hormones than others.

I had the Mirena romoved last Thursday (3/8/12) and already I feel better!! I was afraid of bleeding horribly but on Sunday I started slightly bleeding but nothing horrible. I feel like I am no longer bloated, I feel like I am finally back to normal =) . I reccomend a removal to anyone having any of these side effects.

I totally agree with everyone on here that has had a negative experience on the Mirena... I stumbled upon a site with reviews last week, and called the next day...I've had it about a year and a half and Removal day is tomorrow! Yay! I'm so ready to feel like myself again... My side effects are: weight gain, can't lose weight, acne, facial hair that I've been going to an electrolysis to get removed (expensive), hair loss, EXTREME moodiness on the verge of jekyle and Hyde, bloatiness, abdominal pain, random spotting... And probably more... I'm just ready to find out if I'm crazy or if it's this darn Mirena...

Hello Ladies,Just wanted to add my experience - so similar to many of yours'. I'm 39, and had the Mirena inserted 6 weeks after I had my baby. That was 5 years ago. Insertion was very painful; and I feared for the removal, but my doctor assured me that removal was "nothing like" insertion, it would be quick and painless. Quick notes: I had a brief pregnancy during the 3rd year. The Doctor performed an ultrasound to be sure the IUD was still in and in the correct location. It was. It had been perfectly placed. I should note here that my doctor is excellent, no complaints there. Moving ahead 2 years: I went to have it removed last week. It's lost. I now have surgery scheduled. Last week's attempt to "find it" was very painful. (Unfortunately... not a lot of good news to share here, other than agreeing that it was very convenient and I had no periods over the past 5 years.) But considering painful insertion, a (miscarried) pregnancy, and now inability to remove/find...this is almost a cruel joke. And weight? Oh yes. I"m 5'8", was 137 before my daughter. I live an active, healthy lifestyle and eat very healthfully. I am unable to drop below 158. There is no reason why those extra 20 lbs should still be on me. After finding this blog, I am very hopeful that removal of IUD will help me lose the weight. I will post back in a few months regarding weight loss to hopefully provide a positive outlook for others in this position. My best to you all.

I had the Mirena since November 2008 and I had felt much better than with other hormones, but that time has passed and I've struggled so much with my diet and my workouts that finally decides google the effects of Mirena and thank all of you this blog, reading the stories of you are like I was watching myself, thank you ... I definitely will do it to remove as soon as possible especially by the increase of 30 pounds the 3 ½ years, the only and most importantly I will miss is not having menstrual periods because this was the reason why my doctor's suggested ... but I definitely prefer having periods and not the effects so unpleasant that I had during this time as each and every one of the symptoms that each of you have had,,,, again thank you,God bless you all

Hello! I have had Mirena since May 2009. I have always struggled with my weight slightly, but have gained almost 35 lbs with Mirena. I have even had laser lipo to try to get rid of the weight gain because nothing else seemed to work. Although I can see a difference in my shape I have not lost any pounds & the Dr. didn't understand why...I even had the procedure redone after 10 months of nothing else working. Finally I have put two and two together and am anxiously waiting for my fiancee to get his vasectomy appt. so I can get my Mirena removed. We are getting married in Sept. so I hope I see an improvement soon!! Good luck to everyone out there!

Hi All, I must admit this site has really confirmed everything that I have been feeling reacted to the mirena coil. I had the coil fitted in nov 2010 and within 2 months I had all the symptom of headaches, memory loss, aches and pains, tiredness, feeling low and depressed and tearful and the biggest one WEIGHT GAIN!

I went back to my GP in February 2011, who advised me to keep the mirena and give it at least 6-9 months!! This was my biggest mistake, I knew that I should have listened to my body, in total I have gained 24 pounds and I'm constantly exercising and trying to eat less, but nothing, it truly is the coil! Reading other post has really helped and I'm going to the doctors to have it removed on Thursday and I can't wait to have my life back!! Thank you everyone

Hi fellow Mirena hostesses!I chose the Mirena IUD 20 months ago in an effort to relieve the pain from uterine fibroids. The pain was definitely reduced however, I bled and menstruated more often than not and the ongoing 'slight' pain just got to be too much. Weight gain has also been a problem.So - 4 days ago I had the IUD removed. All seemed fine until today when - without warning - I had this sudden gush of blood flow and cluster of blood clots the size of my fist coming out. After 15 minutes I had filled a super tampon and was shedding more blood clots. This continued for about 3 hours and now it's more like a heavy period, hourly tampon changes and some blood clots. What a horrifying experience to have to go through! I'm not sure if this is a good thing, that it seems the fibroid tissue is being expelled, or ... ??!? I would say the Mirena IUD has caused my existing fibroids to grow given the increased size of my uterus from 20 months ago. It is a relief to see that I'm not the only one experiencing this, but wow - clearly this IUD is a very scary choice to make.I'm 'Anonymous Ann' here. :) I'd love to know how long to expect this crazy flow and blood clot process to go until it ends ??

I am getting my Mirena IUD removed tomorrow and I can't wait! I have had it for about 10 months now. I wanted to give it a good chance so I was patient with it but I noticed first my moods. I am generally a sensitive person but I'm extremely oversensitive now and it comes without warning. I don't even feel like myself anymore. I have had days I am depressed for no reason at all. And over the past year I have gained about 10 pounds but I wasn't sure what caused it really. I have been working out so hard for the past 5 weeks and counting all my calories etc and still have not lost 1 single pound. I am so discouraged. I decided to look online and could not believe all the other women with the same issues as me :( This is just terrible. I will repost in a few weeks after my IUD is removed and let you know if I am feeling more like myself again. I hope now I can continue my workouts and healthy eating and actually see some weight loss.

I don't see a lot of follow-up posts here, so I wanted to be sure to check back with you all, in case anyone truly is waiting for an "after removal" post. I am the Anonymous Poster from March 15, above.

I had my Mirena IUD removed exactly one week ago, 3/21. I had to be partially sedated as the strings were way up inside and IUD location somewhat unknown. (See original post for details...) But the procedure was relatively quick and with the drugs they gave me, although I remember brief pain, I didn't care. When the medicines wore off several hours later, I was only tired. I did not experience the extreme bleeding or cramping as others have posted.

On to the weight loss: Yes, one week later and I have lost 3 lbs. My eating & exercise patters have not changed. I am no longer bloated and have gone down a solid jeans size. The acne that appeared about a year ago is completely gone. My mood is drastically improved and I feel great.

At this rate, I believe the last 17 lbs (as discussed in my original post) will easily be off by summer. I will post back in a few months as a follow-up. I hope this second post offers encouragement and hope to those in a similar situation. Good luck Ladies, and trust that you know your own body better than anyone else.

Hi all, I had my Mirena for 4 years after my third child. Initially I didn't notice any side effects but gradually I experienced all of them. Dispite working out with a personal trainer 3 times a week, walking 5-6 miles 3/4 times a week and watching my calories I kept gaining pounds! I finally had it removed yesterday! Already I feel more like myself and hopeful that things will return to normal. I too will report back with my progress.

I had the mirena fitted in one month ago and have gained 2.5kg dispite playing a lot of squash and working out in the gym. Please lady's! those who have had it removed, have you lost the weitght you picked up after having the mirena removed?

It was very expensive to have it inserted and would be a waste if i would remove it so soon, but after reading the story's on this blog, I am seriously considiring having it removed..can't deal with the extra weight.

I am 44 and I had the Mirena put in as I was experiencing incredibly painful, heavy periods. Have tried all sorts of birth controls - nothing has worked. The Gyno suggested the Mirena and I have had it in for 18 months almost.

I have an appointment with my gyno again because I am still spotting for around 2 - 2.5 weeks a month. Driving me insane!

The only option now is a partial hysterectomy I am told.

I have gained so much weight in the last 18 months it is unbelievable. I am the heaviest I have been in my entire life by around 15 kgs. How depressing. I have had my doctor check bloods, thyroid, etc to see if there was a medical reason for the weight gain as I have not changed my eating habits (in fact I have been eating less) but nothing showed up. I asked if the mirena could be the case to be told "absolutely not" there is no evidence to even suggest the mirena causes weight gain. hmmmmmm......

I also have noticed some short term menory lapses - very unusual for me! I feel incredibly bloated the majority of the time and just not myself.

My apptmt is end of the month and I intend to organise to have it all done at once (hopefully before June), mirena out, partial hysterectomy... will let you know what happens...

I am 26 and have had my mirena for 1.5 years ago. Since having it inserted (primarily for helping my endometriosis) I have constant ovary pain in my right side and random spotting. I have also gained about 10kg and my sex life with my LONG term partner has gone out the window.

I havent had children yet,but I would like to -I just dont know if getting the IUD removed will help with ovary pain, losing the weight and get my sex life back on track.

Any help or advice would be great!!! (I am scared to go back to my gyno as she will probibly want to do ANOTHER laparsoscopy...I am 26 and had 4 so far).

Weight gain, mood swings, cramping, and depression. I had Mirena put in end of 2009. My usual weight of 109 has surged to 120lbs. I am an avid exerciser, and have always had a healthy diet. I cannot lose this weight. I finally looked up Mirena & weight gain, and came to this site. EXTREMELY relieved to find this information. I have been very depressed as the scale keeps going up, and up, and up. My mood swings have been horrible. Nothing works to keep the weight down. I'm only 5'3" so the weight really shows. I have my yearly appt tomorrow, and want Mirena taken out asap! I was on birth control for many years and never, ever had weight gain. After my second child, I decided to go with Mirena, but not anymore. Thank you, to all the women who have shared their stories. I really felt I was going crazy. I'll post an update once I have it removed.

So pleased to read all this stuff, but still confused. I'm 45 and had been putting symptoms down to perimenopause, especially the weight gain. Having done a lot of research I'm now beginning to think it's down to my Mirena. I've not only put on weight, I've got permanent spots, both on my face and chest, I seem to be developing allergies to everything from cheese to face cream deodorants etc. and I can't shift a cough I've had since December, despite several visits to my GP, a lung and sinus x-ray and various inhalers which only made me puff up even more. Mood swings? Call me Jeckyl or Hyde, it depends. Latest symptom is Carpal tunnel which is stopping me sleeping properly. This is what started me thinking as I had Carpal tunnel during my first pregnanacy. This shouted 'hormones' to me. But all rest, can it be the 'change of life'? Or should I have a change of birth control? At 45 years old and with five children, maybe it's time to get my tubes tied. I am so confused. I've made an appt to see my gyneco, but have 4 long weeks to wait. I think I'll only find out if Mirena is the culprit if I have it out and compare.Help!

I had the Mirena for one month. Over that month I had slept maybe 4 nights without any problems. Other nights were horrible. I would get very hot, start this uncontrollable shaking from within. I knew that the doctors would probably think I was insane and I was just thinking that it was probably me over-thinking things causing me to have a panic attack. Other problems I faced was this feeling that I just not there. I always felt as if I was watching life from a distance. I haven't been able to concentrate. I was depressed. I had to make myself go outside. No sex drive AT ALL. And then there was the brown yucky stuff that was being expelled--constantly. That was lovely. *ahem* One morning, after I woke up with the shakes at 6am, I called to make an appointment to have the damn torture device removed. The nurse on the phone told me that the symptoms I was having could not be caused by the Mirena because these were not the normal ones. Yeah. I told her that since this is the only change in my life over the last month that is has to be the birth control and that I wanted it taken out...now. I would have to wait a week. *sigh* *groan*

I went about my day as usual, but last night was it. I hadn't eaten because everything made me nauseous. I couldn't get enough water. I was shaking. I was hot on the inside. The air hurt my skin. Smells were making me sick. I put on my clothes and the fiancé and I headed back to the ER. We weren't there very long because when I explained the problem, and re-explained it, and explained it again to convince them that I was not crazy, they sent me to the Women's Emergency Clinic (didn't know we had one of those). They were so nice. They didn't look at me like I was insane. In fact, they understood and the doctor agreed that it sounded like I was having a very bad reaction to the synthetic hormone levonorgestrel. Good to know. She was very understanding, confirmed that it needed to be removed, and she did just that. It took longer for me to take my pants off than it did for her to remove it. Within minutes I felt better--probably the placebo effect but still, WONDERFUL.

The next day I went to have my blood pressure checked and it is almost back to normal. This "hormone" was the cause of the 185/110 blood pressure I was experiencing.

So, for me, this form of birth control did not work out. The "treatment" was worse than the problem. I will deal with 7 days a month of hell. I will deal with the mood swings and cramping so bad that I feel like someone has my uterus in a vice. I will deal with the overpriced crap I have to buy because I am a woman. I will deal with the issue of non-latex condoms that are more expensive. All that is a walk in the park compared to the roller coaster I was just on. That amusement park should be condemned.

I am 31 years old, 163cm and always been a size 8 (Australian sizing) I have endometriosis (endo) and have tried a number of different treatments, 2/3 of these treatments brought the endo back, so three labrosocopy’s later we try the Mirena IUD. I was initially reluctant to try this form of treatment because I don’t like having something put in my body which I can’t take out.Whilst the endo is now under control after having Mirena for 9 months, I have noticed a number of side effects which until today didn’t necessarily realize it was Mirena related.1. Weight Gain - no matter how much I exercise I cannot lose the weight and just seem to get muscular, especially around my thighs. I have always been a very healthy eating, no wheat, no dairy (allergic) and yet still the weight comes. I have now been trying lite n easy as an attempt to lose the weight. My stomach is definitely flabby and I’ve always had a flat stomach. 2. Hairier – upper lip, side of face and arms have now got thicker hair. Although they are blonde, the thickness is still noticeable3. Tired – I have generally always been tried but now it’s so hard to get up in the morning and I must have a MINIMUM of 8 hrs sleep each night to be able to function. Even with 8 hrs I am still tired.4. Energy Levels – I have no energy or motivation and feel especially depressed all the time. I generally just feel flat and not good about myself. 5. Sex Drive – whilst I don’t have a boyfriend, I definitely haven’t had the urge to even wont sex6. Fake Periods – I now get what I can ‘fake periods’ this being all the symptoms of sore boobs, painfully sore tip of nipples, sore lower back, bloating, cramps for about 7-10 days each month. Occasionally I will have spotting but not all the time.7. Memory Loss – I have always had the memory of an elephant but now am very vague and struggle to remember anything if I don’t write it down.I am considering getting my Mirena removed and trying a more ‘alternative way’ of treated the endo, not because of the weight loss more so because on a whole I feel like shit. I have been seeing a hormone specialist and will also see a Chinese medicine doctor for treatment suggestions and then will make my decision.MLP

I cant even begin to tell you how mirena has ruined my life. The side effects I have suffered include: weight gain (about 20 lbs), acne, thinnning hair,depression, facial hair growth, and concentration issues. I had mirena inserted in July 2011 and just had it removed today and replaced with paragard. I really hope to be able to get my life back now that it has been removed and replaced with a non-hormonal IUD. I will keep you all posted about how long it takes to lose the weight, acne, and facial hair. On another note: I have severe PMDD and mirena made me so crazy around my period. My boyfriend cant stand to be around me, i cry hysterically for days on end, and flip out about everything. If you have PMDD DO NOT GET MIRENA!!! It will make life unbearable for you and everyone around you during your period. I will keep you all posted about how long it takes for me to get back to normal now that mirena has been removed.

I am so glad I found these comments!! I'm 36 and 3 years ago I lost 35 pounds and kept it off for over 2 years! I got my first Mirena about 2 years ago, at first it was great because it stopped my periods completely, but then started getting severe acne on my back... The only time I ever had bad acne was when I was pregnant. I dealt with it because I thought its better than having a 7 day miserable period!! Last June I developed hives... My whole body was covered in welts. I've never had them in my life nor have I ever been allergic to anything. I went to the allergist the "first time" and all he did was an allergy test on my arm which came back negative... For 3 straight months I got hives every day up to 3 times a day! I wanted to rip my skin off, plus I was so frustrated not knowing what the hell was causing it. I did notice that cold was setting it off, being outside, cold water, even going through the freezer section at the grocery store... So I thought maybe the IUD was causing this! So I asked the OB doc and he said that wouldn't cause hives. I decided to have it removed just to rule it out... I had it removed but still was breaking out in hives. I went to another allergist for a second opinion and she ran blood work for lupus and other auto immune disorders and they came back negative!! She told me to take 2 Claritin a day, so I did and the hives stopped.... My acne went away though... So a couple months later I decided to have the Mirena put back in because my periods came back full force, and I would deal with the acne!! I had it put back in last October and since then I get bad acne again, I gained 15 pounds and I'm not doing anything different then I did before and no matter what I do I can't lose a frickin pound, I feel bloated and gross, I have anxiety and irritable, I've also developed severe pain in my right hip. The doctor said its from my bulging disk, which I know can cause hip pain, but I've had this bulging dick for years and never had hip pain! I went and got an injection in my lower back for it, it helped a little for a couple months and now it's as bad as ever.. My boobs are really sore which I never had before even on my period! It's driving me literally crazy!! I'm having it removed today!!! I truly believe it started my hives, made me gain weight and definitely caused my acne! I can't say for sure it caused my hip pain but it's just weird that I've never in my life had these issues until I got the Mirena! I don't think it's a coincidence! I will soon find out!!! I'll give it a few months and let everyone know what happens!!

I am so glad I found this site! I had a mirena for 2 1/2 years and it was 2 1/2 years I can never get back. I experienced the same as the rest of you - acne, weight gain, mood swings, no sex drive. I tried every diet possible including cleanses and literally starving myself with no weight loss and I kept on gaining. I had the IUD out 4 days ago and have already lost 3 pounds, my moods are back to normal, I am happy, and my acne is almost cleared already! I can't believe I waited so long to have it removed!!! I can't suggest strongly enough to you to GET IT REMOVED!!!!!! I got my life back!!!!

This site has been such a relief! I had horrible issues with BC after having children, call it hormones, call it whatever, nothing helped and always spotted. I finally stopped all BC and ended up with 2 weeks of period every 2 weeks. Spoke with some GF's and said they loved Mirena. Well I have miraculously gained 9 lbs as well in 4 months. I've been going to the gym at least 4 times a week and getting my butt kicked by my personal trainer and not a single pound lost. I've been doing this workout routine for 8 weeks. I'm 149, the heaviest I've ever been and only 32. Everyone says it's my metabolism because I've hit the big 30 so I kept an honest food diary and gave it to my trainer. She said I was eating fine. Went to OB 3 weeks ago, told him my systems, weight gain, breast soreness/enlargement and carpel tunnel pain and he said I was retaining water due to the progesterone in Mirena. My diastolic BP was the highest it has ever been and he said that was another sign I was retaining water. He prescribed me a "water pill" aka diuretic. I'll keep you ladies posted if it helps. The weight does seem to be all around my waist. I'm so torn to get it removed or wait antoher 30 days and give this water pill with my normal exercise/diet routine one more shot?! Good luck to you all and share your frustrations!!

My goodness,your post echoes what I have been going through over the past few months. I had my mirena inserted after my 3rd child & in 3 weeks time I'll turn 35. I am not a vain person but I can't bear to look at myself in the mirrror.my clothes fit tight just like u & I feel bloated. I don't have the courage to remove this "curse" because I can't afford to get pregnant again.I'm still contemplating calling my gynae but I doubt she'll accept to remove it so easily. She had made 'weight gain due to Mirena' sound totally absurd!

I had the Mirena IUD for two years and gained 14lbs during that two years. I had also quit smoking during the second year that I had the Mirena so I wasn't sure what had caused my weight gain. Until one day my boyfriend said maybe it's your IUD. Now why didn't I think of that? I had never experienced weight gain in all the years I was on the pill so I didn't even consider the Mirena could be it. Well I am now conviced that it was. I quit smoking but always watched what I ate. After having two kids, I did weight watchers on line and lost 18lbs and weighed less than I did whe I got pregnant with my first child. So I knew how to do weight watchers and always kinda stuck with the program on my own but the weight just kept getting higher and higher. I was miserable. None of my clothes fit and my boobs looked like they did when I was pregnant, just huge! I am 4'11" and normally weigh between 118-120 but I got up to 134lbs. I am by far not a skinny girl but I am not fat, I am curvy, I wear size 7 in juniors and 34D bra but this weight gain was out of control and I did everything I could to lose it. I stuck to weight watchers faithfully and couldn't lose a pound. I even tried Atkins and nothing!! I did Atkins in the past before I got married and lost 18lb in like 3 months but this time, I couldn't lose anything, I joined the gym and exercized 5 times a week and still couldn't lose a pound. After all this and reading such posts as all of you, I decided to have the Mirena removed and what do you know, it's been 4 months since I had it removed and I am down 10lbs already without exercising or following a strict weight watcher diet. I definitely always watch what I eat but I indulge sometimes with Pizza, Chinese food or beer/wine. I now fit back in all of my clothes and feel so much better. I noticed the change in my boobs immediately but it took a little more time for the weight to start falling off and when it finally did, it happened with very little effort. I think it takes some time for the effects of the Mirena to wear off but thank god it did! So doctors saying that it doesn't cause the weight gain is ridiculous to me because I know it did!! Good luck ladies!

Hi there! I am 33 and have my second Mirena in place for the last year. I got pregnant on my first one and had to have it removed. With the 1st one I had bouts of severe cystic acne, which I hated, and weight gain. This 2nd one is not working so well. Not too much acne this time but I am very moody, tired, headaches,brain fog, memory loss, hair loss, yeast infections (which I have never had before), BV, sinus infections and I have gained almost 23 lbs. I'm done! I have 3 kids already and I don't want more. I'm making an appointment tomorrow to have this thing removed. I read on another blog that women have had bad constant bouts of BV. After having it removed they had it tested. It came back positive for E-COLI, F'N GROSS! This thing is gone and I will not ever get another one.

I JUST GOT MINE REMOVED TODAY AFTER READING EVERY SINGLE COMMENT ON THIS BLOG. I HAVE A 2, 4 AND 6 YEAR OLD AND COULD NOT GET THE LAST 15 POUNDS OFF. I AM 5.7 I HAVE BEEN STUCK AT 152 LBS. MY GOAL IS 135 (PREREGNANCYWEIGHT).I WOULD LIKE TO GET PREGNANT IN NOVEMBER SO I DECIDED TO GET THE MIRENA REMOVED AND SEE IF I CAN REACH MY GOAL BEFORE THEN. I WILL LET YOU KNOW IF I GET SOME BABY FAT OFF. THANKS EVERYONE FOR THE REAL INFO ON HE MIRENA!

I had mine out 3 months ago and I am finally losing weight gradually, now lost 10lbs :-)I used to train hard and eat well but nothing seemed to work, I put on about 14lbs over 2 years and just couldn't shift it.I don't for a minute think it magically MADE me put weight on, I don't think that it causes the weight gain, but I do think that when you put on weight, like we all do once in a while you then we can't seem to lose it again so it just creeps up and up and up! Every birthday, Christmas, party etc when everyone indulges, we all gain a little, but then I could never lose it again. Insulin resistance is my theory but I'm sure you've all got yours.My middle is much less bloated, I am happy all round (well except for the painful heavy periods that have now returned :-( but at least I'm thinner........good luck ladies.

Hello well I've had two mireana IUD and yes I gained weight but I had no bleeding in 10 years to me that was great. It's now been removed and I am losing weight occasional cramps but I feel fine. To me it was a blessing as I was bleeding heavy for two weeks every month.

I am 23 years old. Pre-pregnancy I weighed 160 at 5”8”. I had Mirena for almost three years. It was great at first. No periods, everything was seeming to be great. However about six months down the road, I started having some side effects. I started feeling different. I was always lazy, and lethargic. Acne started on my face (which I never had a problem with acne in life). I starting not wanting to be around my kid or my husband. I thought it was just the ups and downs of life. So I stuck it out for two more years. Then found this website, and starting read what all of you have posted, then starting putting two and two together. Weight gain, cystic acne , depression, bloating, just feeling BLAH! I realized that the two inch of plastic in me was the culprit. I gained over 40lbs. I have always been an athletic build, and well toned. Well now, that is not the case. I had Mirena removed at the beginning of May 2012, and let me tell you. I feel amazing now!! I do not feel depressed, I want to spend time with my kid. I get out in the yard with her and run a chase her. The first month after I had it out I was still having a little acne, now two months down the road I longer have them popping up. After the first week, I lost two inches off my waist just from bloating alone. Now, I work out everyday (run two miles, or kickbox and then follow up with some pilates). I do not eat any fast food or processed foods. Other than that I eat like a pig. I have lost an inch off of both arms, one inch off my bust, 4 inches off my stomach, and two inches off the hips. Since I had Mirena taken out I have had two periods that came right on time. They have been pretty bad, but I have actually kind of missed them. Makes me feel now like I am a normal women. Having Mirena removed was so easy. Two seconds it was out. I did not bleed like some other women experienced. The only time I started bleeding was when my period started. I am currently not on any birth control right now, just letting my body get all balanced out. I couldn’t be happier that I had it removed. I enjoy life again, and I wish all of you best of luck. God bless.

I have had my mirena IUD for 19 months now. When choosing this method of Birth control. I thought it would be great since my husband and I were not looking to have another child until we were more financially stable. I left the hospital after having a beautiful baby girl at 134 pounds (which was 10 pounds less than the day I found out I was pregnant) I only gained a total of 19 pounds when I had my daughter I eat very well when I was pregnant. Now today I am weighing in at a total of 160 pounds, I began working out 5 months ago, nonstop running 3 miles 2-3 times a week, doing other cardio with my husband who is a trainer. I eat Healthy, do not drink any sodas and now not lost anything, actually gained 2 pounds. So I went to my Primary had my blood work done to check my Thyroid, sugar I even checked to see if I was pregnant. Everything came back great except Vit D level because It was a winter month here. Not only have I have a huge amount of weight gain I have developed roseaca which makes me look like I have red acne all over my checks, which I have always had flawless skin before IUD insertion. I also have experience sharp pains, severe headaches and more I feel as though this has been the more unhealthy my body ever been! So I went to my GYN this week. She said she believed that I could be “stricter” on my diet, work out 5 days a week (yeah with 19 month old baby that the easiest thing to do every day) and work harder at losing weight and that because I’m running that I’m probably gaining muscle which weight more than fat… that’s when I lifted my shirt and showed her my stomach which looked as though I am 8 months pregnant again! She then said if I “Believed” it was the IUD we can remove it which I’m scheduled to have taken out in a week. Which I cannot be happier about! I do understand my Dr probably has people who come in lying about working out and eating healthy but I know that I was not lying and that it is this Mirena IUD. Which from reading this site and multiple site since I have been researching for last 3 months I 100% positive that it is now and I hope that I can after this monster is out I can continue on my life style with a chance of at least losing weight! Thank you all for helping make this decision with me, these posts helped me

Hi ladies, im 37 mother of 4. I've had the Mirena for 3yrs now. My weight was 143 whe it was put in, & now im at 163lbs! I workout everyday & watch my diet. Its so frusturating cause i cant lose no weight! And i always have lower abdiminal pain & hair loss Now im experiencing dry scalp& itching! But after reading this blog im making an appt to get this thing out. Will keep u ladies posted on how it goes.

HiI have had my mirena removed after having it for 18 months. I am very active, but did feel heavier, I think much of it was feeling bloated. My breast were so sore for a week out of every four, they were swollen and hard and my nipples were excrutiatingly tender. I bled for 3 weeks out of 4, and had no sex drive. (my husband was so understanding). I have had it out now for 2 weeks and I am ravenously horny, so much so that my poor husband doesnt know what has hit him - and I am pretty suprised too. I feel like my bloating has deflated, my breasts are back to normal, and I am feeling whole again. I have to say, the whole time the mirena was in, I felt my body was trying to expell it, and I did have a dull ache in my uterus. I am so please to have it out. Mine was put in to deal with iron deficiency, so I am waiting to see what the outcome will be and if my anaemia will return. However in the meantime, I am just loving the sex - long may it last!!

Had my mirena put in 1 year after baby #2. Gained fifteen pounds in 14 months, was moody, no sex drive. My doc kept telling me I had post pardum depression and there was no way it was the IUD. My OB gave me so much grief about taking it out I finally marched over to Planned Parenthood and $50 and ten minutes later it was out. It's been one month and I have lost five pounds, Im not craving sugar like I used to, have a sex drive again, no mood swings and am sleeping MUCH better. Doc said to expect irregular/heavy bleeding for a few months which is fine by me as I finally feel like I have my life back! This thing should be banned!

I've had Mirena for about 14 months now, when I first got it I noticed I gaind a bit of weight it bothered me because I exerciswe a lot and eat well but I was not able to lose weight.. Right after that I started a full time job and I didn't have time to workout as much etc etc but the weight kept increasing, since last January I've been working out 6 times a week eating right and I see myselft gatting bigger and bigger and far from wearing smaller sizes I keep having to buy bigger clothes. I've had a personal trainer for the last 3 months and and I haven't been able to drop a single pound. I haven't been able to sleep at night i find that everytime I laid down I can't breath I feel a heavy weight on my chest... it might be the almost 35 lbs I've gaines after I had the Mirena put in. But I'm going to see my doctor on Monday and request to take this thing off. This is horrible I can't take this anymore I hope that by taking it out I will be able to drop some pounds because I think besided that not being able to sleep and breath at night I also had high blood preassure a while back now that I read all this it all makes sense.. I will keep you updated when I take it off hopefully I go back to normal

I have had mirena for two years and when I finally got it tooken out my.periods were irregular for about six months. I also think im pregnany because it never comes when its supposed too! Im pretty sure im probably sterile now because my hisbamd and I are not using any type of birth control and still no baby:(

I got my Mirena in February 2012 (now aug 2012) for the simple reason that I wanted to get rid of the periodes since we were moving to the carribean. I thought itwasgoing to be fantastic but I can still feel pain from the day of the incertion and I'm no longer wild and crazy.

You have given me the courage to having it removed even though it was always in the back of my mind.

My question to you, since I had so much pain getting it (having no kids) will I have the same amount of pain? :(

I feel that I have been a terrible wife for the past 6 months and despritly want my old self back.

Hi ladies! I found this forum after doing research about the Mirena because of my experience with weight gain. I thought it would be helpful to give you a little insite about the post-mirena removal! After reading everyones experiences, I decided to get the Mirena removed on 07/25/12, about 2 1/2 weeks ago. After Mirena was inserted the only side effect I experienced was weight gain (over 60lbs). I tried losing the weight, although, like most of you it wasn't too successful! I was able to lose and keep off about 7 lbs over a 3 month period with dieting and exercise while I still had the Mirena! .. My experience so far, having the Mirena removed, has been great! First, it was almost painless a slight cramp and nothing compared to having it inserted. Second, which I don't know if it had anything to do with having it removed, but the day after I had a horrible experience with vomiting (out of both ends) I know, maybe a little TMI but that lasted a whole 24 hours followed by a pretty heavy menstral cycle that lasted about 3 days. I still have continued to eat healtheir and exercise, but good news is, in the 2 1/2 weeks after I have had it removed I have lost 10 lbs! Which is more than I managed to lose in a 3 month period! So i'm dwn a total of 17 lbs and obviously having the Mirena removed, helped a huge amount of that be acheivable! I recommend removal for any of you ladies! .. I'll do another update in another 2 1/2 weeks to let you all know if the weight is continuing to fall off ;)

I'm just like you! I've had the mirena for only 7 months and I'm 4'11 and weighed 124 when i got it and now I'm up to 133! I've been going to the gym and can't lose a pound! My boobs also went to a DD! I'm always so tired too and after reading all of these comments i have decided to get mine removed! I never would have thought it would cause all this stuff!

I use to have the IUD (the copper one) then after 8 years had it removed then hello pop out another 2 babies after that I get the IUD again however they tell me its a Mirena same thing. NO WAY is it the same I thought I may be pregnant again because my stomach was bloated like a pregnant stomach sometimes. My hair fell out in clumps (I was told its just from breastfeeding) however I've got 4 children now and the other 3 were fine. Have had some big arse pimples however only got pimples once in a blue moon and cramps that hurt. I have put on so much weight and knew shit theres something going on here and sure enough look up in google and its that bloddy mirena I'm going to get it out STUPID THING. Hubby is getting the snip like he was meant to in the first place lol...

I'm so glad I found this blog. I got my Mirena 2 years go and put on 30 pounds. I had some painful cysts burst and abnormal bleeding. I went today to get to removed but they can't locate the strings and so I'm off to a gyny. Crossing my fingers that it goes well.

My case is different from your stories. I lost so much weight after IUD insertion. Heavy bleeding, pelvic pain 1 week before my period and dizziness. Now, I feel so much pain. I don't know what's going on but one thing for sure I need to go to the doctor tomorrow.

After thinking about it and thinking about it, and now finding this blog, I decided that getting my Mirena out was the thing for me. I am a single mother of two, but in no current relationship. I have had the Mirena for four years, got it before my divorce was finalized so that I would not have to pay for birth control monthly (just in case an incident would come up where I did need it). I have realized that the ONLY time I have ever lost weight was when I was on NO birth control ever and losing weight was easy. I have been on birth control since I have been 18, I am 33 now. I went to the Doctor today, told her I have to damn near train for a marathon to try and lose a little weight, but the moment I stop working out, it comes right back. I am 5'3, weigh 227, have not been below 215 in over seven years. Once I told the Doctor all of this, right then and there, she told me to strip from the waist down, she was taking it out. Only problem, last year I had an X-ray when I couldn't feel my strings and my Mirena has traveled and turned sideways. So, I now have a referral to the OBGYN to talk about removal options. UGH, just when I thought I would be free today!!! So close, yet so far away. I can't wait to have a body free and in it's natural state. I'll check back in.

Hi, everyone. I had a Mirena for nearly a year and a Paraguard (non-hormonal IUD) for about 6 months prior to the Mirena. I switched to the Mirena because of heavy, ongoing, daily bleeding with the Paraguard, and, for the first 4 months or so, I loved the Mirena. Side effects started shortly afterward, including: spotting/irregularity, breast tenderness/swelling, cramps, and edema (water retention) in my legs and feet. I didn't gain a lot of weight at first, but in the last week, I gained 5 pounds, even though I walk 20 miles a day and eat appropriately. I'm very small (I went from 5'5" and 108 pounds to 5'5" and 113 pounds), so weight gain isn't undesirable, but it's uncomfortable to gain so quickly and in the places that the Mirena seems to add weight (belly, breasts, ankles). Most worrisome, though, was that, after about 9 months on the Mirena, I started to have mood swings, and these seemed to get worse and worse. My gyne said severe side effects happen to 25% of women, not 1-5% as the manufacturers claim, and that, even though it's a minority, it's a sizeable one, not a negligible 1%. Yes,one in four women will have side effects bad enough to warrant removal. Furthermore, when I had mine removed today, my gyne found a large cyst on my cervix (about the size of a half dollar) and a corresponding fibroid in my uterus, neither of which was present at insertion.

I would not tell people to avoid the Mirena. My best friend also uses it and has no side effects, for example. I do think it's worth a try. However, I would caution women to be on the alert for any odd effects because the percentages of those adversely affected are much higher than the manufacturers claim.

It's only been a few hours since removal, and my mood feels much lighter (could be psychological) and my cramps and breast tenderness have abated somewhat. My gyne said that it would take about two weeks for my hormones to re-regulate (given my age-- 41-- and the length of time I'd had my Mirena), and I am hopeful about this prognosis. Meanwhile, I will see what happens to the cyst and the fibroid. I am hoping these, too, will be temporary, but that may be naively hopeful.

To all of you who are considering the Mirena, I say try it and see. To all of you who are suffering from side effects, I wish you speedy recoveries post removal.

Thanks for your note...You have mentioned a ton of symptoms I've been dealing with over the past few years, but have not connected it with my Mirena...

I am on my 2nd 5-year round as of 2010. I have struggled and have failed to lose any of my baby's weight (who is now 8 years old) since I had the IUD inserted at 10 weeks after delivery. As well as suffering from no sex drive EVER, swelling inside vagina, edema, bloating, very bad acne around mouth and chin, mood swings, etc. I'm getting ready to remove it and just see how my body responds.

I was curious to know if you have tried other forms of birth control pills. If so, which ones?

Hello all mirena survivors. I can relate to many of you I too had hair loss, 50 lbs weight gain, cystic zits, ovarian cyst, depression and moody to the point even my dogs avoided me. Only had it 8 months. Bled for first 5 months heavy and constant. Spotted for last 3. Pain in right side and couldn't ever feel strings. Ultrasound showed it had drawn up and turned sideways. Had to convince dr to take it out by telling him I want another baby . He said all other symptoms were in my head. Even the ovarian cyst was related to my period and not the mirena. Anyways it's out as of yesterday. Feel great. Head is clear. Now looking forward to losing this weight. Good luck to the rest of you. Think very carefully about the risks before putting this in. It's not for everyone.

I'm very curious to hear more updates on people's weight loss success (hopefully!) after having Mirena removed. I had mine removed 2 days ago after having it for 4 years. I am hoping to lose the 25 lbs. that I attribute to Mirena. My only concern though, the Dr. had me begin Lo Loestrin 24 same day as removal, but I see that it contains progestrone (sp?) Isnt that what makes it impossible to lose weight with Mirena? Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks in advance :)

I am almost 50 and tried the IUD to lighten or even take away my periods. They were heavy and long. Mirena IUD has slowed them down, but now I am irregular and actually have some sort of bleeding every day. I am almost at 6 months with this thing, but now want it out. I have gained weight/cannot lose it (25 pounds). Tired of being a crab and disgusted with my weight. I was offered hyperthermoablation to just get rid of the lining of my uterus and not have periods any more. But was talked out of it. It is a short day surgery procedure, but I have known women who have had this and they are thrilled with no more periods. But agree with many of you when the doctor's office is arguing with us when we want to take the Mirena IUD out. They encourage us to continue with it and things will settle down. Well, so many of you had problems for as long as you had it in (and even some longer than that). Hang in there ladies! And thanks for your posts. Really helps me feel like I am not nuts with all that is going on with me since I got the Mirena IUD.

Hi, I had the mirena inserted 2009 due to extreme bleeding. I had put on weight but a lot more since the insertion. I do suffer with sore breasts and cramps here and there but they are not that bad, I did suffer quite badly for the first three months though.

Anyway, my question to everyone is if anyone knows of what other options are out there for me to help with the severe bleeding if I get the mirena removed, the gyno wouldn't approve a hysterectomy, I'm 49, no kids and wont be having any at this age.

I want it removed now after reading the posts on weight and lack of energy and other issues, but I can't go back to bleeding like I was.

Just had mine removed for the same reasons as everyone else- 20lb weight gain, difficulty concentrating, poor memory, abdominal pian, back pain, acne on my face, chest, and back, extreme fatigue. I was 119lbs pre-pregnancy and had the mirena placed 6weeks postpartum- 19 months ago. I'm now 140lbs. Very few people have returned to their blog to give others information about weight loss at different intervals after having the mirena removed. I promise to keep you updated.

I had my first mirena 6 years ago. Insertion fine, no periods, LOVED it. It ran out last July and got a new one. The 5 year mirena i did gain about 10 lbs. Ok i thought, i don't have my toddler no more to run after, but i did go the gym here and there and worked as a nanny so was still very active and ate in moderation. Maybe its age too? I was 35.That 10 lbs never budged no matter what and sometimes my boobs and nipples were untouchable. Even my bra hurt them, so sensitive. I got my new mirena last July (as the obgym looked at me like i was mad when i brought up mirena and weight gain) and boom, another 8 lbs, yet it would fluctuate from 8 lbs to 11 lbs, (must have depended on the time of the month?) so 18-21 lbs heavier and new bra size of 36D when i have been a 36C for 18 years i finally said NO MORE! My thighs rubbed and my stomach was a disgrace, i would nearly cry looking at my huge baby belly (with no baby in it). I was so mad, clothes from past seasons were unwearable. Again my OBGYN tried her best to get me to keep it. Saying i needed to exercise more and eat better blah blah. I know i can go wayward sometimes but i knew i was way past my limits and felt so frustrated.I asked to look at my weight chart. Over the years. When i first went to her 6 years ago i was 151 lbs (which is the weight i hovered around most of my adult life), i'm 5'11. September 2012 i was 171 lbs :-(. That was it. OUT! She actually seemed to be trying to brainwash me into keeping it. WHY? are they payed by mirena? When i said i wanted to swap to the 10yr paraguard she seemed all ruffled saying i'm doing it opposite to others, women get paraguard and change to mirena, paraguard people have heavy periods blah blah. My mind was set, get mirena out!That day i got the paraguard in. I was skeptical but what else? the ring, pill, the injection, condoms, all not for me. Plus i didn't want anymore hormones.

Ok. That was Sept 13th, its now Oct 3rd. I have lost 8 lbs!!! Only 3 weeks later.

I haven't been the gym since July, yet I have started a new job 4 weeks ago which i have to go up and down 4 flights of stairs 3 times a day, but is that going to shed 8 lbs in 3 weeks alone? No gym, no dieting. I don't think so?My pants that were 2 inches apart from closing now fit fine. The bloat and heavy feeling is subsiding quick and my 36D bras are starting to look to big.My old body is coming back. YAY!As for my 3 weeks old papraguard, i left the OBGYN thinking OMG what have i done? But i like it. NO complaints....yet haha. I did spot bleed for a few days after insertion and nothing since. No complaints!!! Good luck ladies! Hope your all smiling soon :-Drt

I feel really really dumb. I had the Mirena put in 6 YRS AGO... For the past 6 YRS I kept wondering WHY?? am I gaining weight every year its more and more. Working out, eating healthy, cutting down on my alcohol intake and NOTHING was working. Led alone my stomach feeling terrible and def bloated all the time, being sleepy etc. Just this weekend I thought should checkout to see if the IUD had any side affects to it. When it was inserted I was told by my Dr. there were NO SIDE AFFECTS. I believed him. All this time passing I NEVER thought of the IUD until now. I go online and see all of these ladies feel exactly the way I do. With 1 thing in common. The Mirena. I called my Dr. just this morning and got in 2 hrs later. That was GREAT!! I had it removed just today. She was defending the Mirena as well saying that my tremendous weight gain over the years is not from the Mirena. I do believe the ladies online who actually are experiencing everything that I have. I do also know some girls who are on it with no weight gain at all. I wish I was one of the lucky ones but I am not willing to keep gaining weight for a good form of birth control. I knew it was too good to be true. It only took 6 YRS to figure it out DAH!!! Thank you everyone for your posts and good luck to you.

Hello ladies. Like so many I feel blessed to of found this forum. My story is very similar to so many on here. Weight gain with trouble losing, acne, mood swings, low sex drive. My story is long, but I felt like I needed to get this off my chest for so long and not just to my family, but share with others that feel the same pain…so thank you in advance for reading it.

I had my first Mirena inserted after my daughter was born in August of 2004, I had rather quickly lost my baby weight and was sitting at about 156lbs. I didn't really gain with that Mirena perhaps that is because my body was already flooded with hormones, but I sure as hell didn't lose either.

I went through a divorce during the time and started dating a new wonderful man. I knew I didn't want any more babies, so I opted after the 5 years to have another one inserted...and that is when the weight piled on.

I weighed in at 158lbs when I had it inserted, and slowly started gaining weight. I attributed it to my age and starting to get comfy in my new relationship, but truly it didn't make sense I was always a a healthy eater, but sure I indulged on occasion, who doesn't. I was/am an avid hiker, mountain biker and gym goer, well when I topped off at 190lbs I was like WTF.

I took some before pictures of myself and started the P90X program. I worked hard and was very optimistic. Well when weigh in came and I took measurement I was floored. I gained and my measurements only changed slightly. I cried so very hard. Then after the program was done I had only lost 2lbs and no clothing sizes. My after pictures showed zero change in my stomach, but I did see some definition in my legs and arms, but I still had a bloated unattractive tummy. Needless to say I was devastated. 90 days of dedication and I didn't lose anything.

After this, I went to the doctors had blood drawn to ensure I didn’t have a thyroid problem or something deeper was going on. When the test results came back it showed that I was healthier on the inside than I have ever been. I passed all my blood work with flying colors. The doctor was stumped and was astonished at the gradual weight gain I had. He so kindly called me an apple shape…because I have gained so much weight in my tummy. Ick! He sent me to a nutritionist. I visited, but they told me things I was already practicing, so I stopped going. I started looking up alternative natural weight loss supplements. Still nothing...the weight just stayed on me.

I was starting to believe I was just meant to be this size…my body likes it. Then my workout partner who I love dearly, just kept dropping weight. I was so very envious. I didn’t understand what we did differently, because my habits were amazing compared to hers, but yet she just was shedding pounds. She told me that it was mostly attributed to her having her Mirena removed. She told me that of the 60lbs she lost at least 40lbs of it was form the removal of the Mirena…it just melted off.

That brings me to this forum; I haven’t gone to the doctors yet. I am first doing my research…which I have found to be pretty conclusive…the Mirena is the culprit for the inability to loose weight. I am going to talk to a dear friend who is a physicans assistant, then do some additional research and then make my appointment. I will let you all know what I find.

I currently have the Mirena.... as well as an apointment to have it removed Tuesday after just 6 weeks of it being in. I am glad my insurance covered the placement, because that bad boy is around $900 without it!!! Anyway, since I had it placed, I have had INSANE mood swings. My APRN informed me there is NO WAY that they are caused by the mirena, and that it was Post Partum depression (I just had twins) and started giving me a list of anti depressants she would like to put me on. Keep in mind I had a little bit of the baby blues but nothing crazy since having the babies. I also told her my sex drive diminished almost immediately after having the IUD placed. She told me that was also part of the pot partum depresion she is certain I am experiencing. Needless to say, at my 1 month check up she insisted nothing was wrong and didn't remove it, so I set up an appointment with my family Dr. to have it removed. Also since having it placed, I have lost HANDFULS of hair each time I shower, and always have strands falling whenever i brush my hair or shake my head. I used to have very thick hair, and now my hair is so thin it always looks greasy. My self esteem is very low as a result of this, my mood swings/sad mood and 0 sex drive. I also seem very foggy and confused at times, have migraines (granted I had some before having the mirena) that are more frequent than before. I have an uncontrollable sweet tooth which is uncommon for me. Just all around UGH no motivation, then I have a mood swing because I feel like the house is messy, or I feel too fat. Ugh. I hope this all goes away after removal. (Oh yeah, I have also had a dull pain that sometimes lead to stabbing pain in my uterus since I got it put in.)

I had my Mirena put in on July 28, 2012 and gained 15lbs since. Last thursday I let my gyno know my concerns of bloated stomach and rapid weight gain and she said it was my diet even though I exercise 5days a week. She told me to hold off of removal for now. 2 days later I went to planned parenthood and had it removed asap!

I am the poster from 10/2. Its been almost 3 weeks since I've had the Mirena removed. I've lost about 4 pounds. Nothing miraculous, but an improvement from what I was able to lose with the Mirena. I don't have the ridiculous abdominal bloating anymore and I don't feel as exhausted all the time. I don't feel 100% better but I definitely do not regret my decision for getting it removed.

First, thank you to the original author and to all who have posted stories on this site. I had the Mirena put in about 10 months ago and experienced all of the same issues everyone posted, weight gain, belly bloat, mood swings, tired and the list goes on. I am 45 years old, and have never had a gut in my life, always a flat stomache and gain weight in legs and butt. Took several pregancy tests since i had the same symptoms as being pregnant and painful breast, bloating, etc.

Was not until I saw this site after searching my symptons and feeling Mirena was the culprit that I put it all together. I got the Mirena removed about 6 weeks, so had it for total of 8 months. I gained more weight than when I was pregnant with both of my children. I am now finally stabilized, not yet losing weight but belly has dramatically reduced in bloat.

My doctor refuses to tie the Mirena to any negative effects and wondering if she get some kickbacks based on her attitude. However, the nurse practitioner who has about 30 yrs experience, stated to me that she hears my story a lot....guessing she does not get any commission or kickbacks based on her honesty (she was the one who removed it), as my doctor was conveniently unavailable each time i requested an appointment for removal.

Good luck to all of you who had to go through this horrible experiences...Bayer, the maker of Mirena needs to take this off the shelf.

this is insane!!! so many of these stories are as if i had written them myself. I had my second child in April 2012 and didnt breast feed but i ate well and only did moderate exercise and felt i was loosing weight and tracking well with comments on my weight loss BUT after the 6week check i had the 5yr mirena put in and from that point my life has been a downward spiral. greasy hair, pimples, back pain, lighter periods yes but they go for 2 weeks, bleeding after sex, mood swings of epic proportions, so tired and WEIGHT GAIN!!! my boobs have got bigger my hips and my middle...its hideous...i dont want to look at myself let alone let my hubby look at me so add relationship hassels to the list. i was so shocked when i randomly typed in mirena side effects late the other night to find SO much. my pain has unfortunately been suffered by so many. i am going asap to my dr. to sort this out. thanks for getting this out there.

GOOD GOD MAN!!! Note to self - cancel my 5 year replacement scheduled for February...I'm 40 and had Mirena inserted 5 years ago to slow my bleeding so I didn't end up having to have a hysterectomy. Worked brilliantly! I knew about all the side effects and was prepared for them, fortunately, I didn't experience anything negative. I've always been petite and like the other 70% of Americans, I've struggled with my weight -- but unlike the vast majority of that 70%, I admit that I smoke, I drink, I don't exercise and I have horrendous eating habbits. If my 'bits' got a little giggly, I'd put some things in check for a few weeks and all was good...until recently. Back in Feb. Lori posted a comment that I've just read and it hit me like a ton of bricks! I got back down to 115 after my kiddo was born 22 years ago and for the last 10 years, I've been around 125. Not too bad given my age and habbits. Welp, 6 months ago I had hip surgery and managed to put on an irrational amount of weight in the first 2 months post-op -- 18 lbs!! Physical Therapy (more exercise than I've had in 15 years) - Check! Go to Doctor to get back on Adipex - Check! Horrendous eating habbits under control - Check! Weight coming off as it always does - Uhhhhhhh..... Seriously? WTF? Not to mention I have had more frequent headaches and fatigue over the last couple of months. Yep, time to give my body a rest from the artificial hormones.Thank you ladies!

i have been having the iud for the last 6 months and am experiencing unexlainable weight loss.many people are talkin about weight gain but i have actually lost weight..i think this mirena is causing this weight loss..is anyone out there lossing weight rather than gaining nd is using the iud?

Well! My story is similar to all the others. I had the Mirena for 1yr and 2mths after the birth of my 2nd child and it has been quite an experience. I did not sign up for what has happened. I have gained weight that I have not been able to remove. So of course my emotions have been all over the place, lots of sadness. My doctor had issues with wanting to remove this thing, so I also believe she receives kickbacks for the patient's usage. Finally I got the IUD removed today and I am waiting for the results. I too am hoping to lose weight so I can finally fit my clothes again. It is no fun being depressed because I can not fit any of my clothes, look terrible in the clothes I do wear, all while working out 4 days a week. I will keep you all posted.

I'm back! It has been a week since the removal of the Mirena and I have been feeling better. For starters I have not been hungry all the time and starving. I have noticed that I have not eaten as much this week. I have had an increased boost of energy which is great. I actually have more tolerance for my children and really felt like cleaning my house. I have not had much bleeding and nothing similar to a period as of yet, but I am waiting. I have had several hot flashes and headaches though, so I am wondering if this is just the body trying to get back to normal. I feel lighter which is a plus, no more bloating feelings. I plan to weigh myself to determine the weight loss, it definitely feels good to not feel like I am gaining this week. I will keep you posted.

I had the Mirena inserted at my 6 week post pardom check up. Up until then I had lost 30 of the 40 pounds that I had gained with my son, I felt good, and like I was on the right track. My doctor assured me that it was a good decision to get this form of birth control. 2 weeks after insertion I had a check up to make sure that everything was going good, except when I went to weigh in I had gained 20 pounds? This amazed me because nothing, and I mean nothing was done different in these two weeks, I still went to the gym, still was eating healthy, and still was chasing around my 3 other children on top of having a new born. The doctor said in very rare cases patients gain weight, and this was not likely to be from that. I have had the Mirena in for 6 months now and have gained a total of 50 pounds. I weigh more now then I did when I gave birth, and the weight is so weird for me- I have been bigger before but it seems to sit all in my stomach and in my boobs- it makes me very uncomfortable and I do not even want to get dressed, I prefer to sit in comfy clothes all day because of the way I look. After finding this blog I have made the decision to call the doctors in the morning and schedule a removal....I will do my best to come back and post the results.

I have just realized that my weight gain and constipation daily for the last 4 years must be due to mirena ! Removal on the 24th jan . Can't wait . Terrified of the bleeding though . Does this happen to everyone ?

Furthermore, are certain ppl prone to the bleeding ? I had heavy periods before mirena, have not had a period since. I'm 67 kilos , was always 62-64kg. Also, I had uterine polyps before mirena - mirena stops these from forming . Does anyone have any advice on how to prevent polyps forming ...naturally. I will never do this to my body again ....natural all the way from now on.

Fatigue! For 1.5 years--Sleeping for long periods of time and not wanting to be out in the world---thats the part of the IUD that I disliked! I feel it look away my personality-dulled my senses and made me feel spacey and well, pregnant, all the time. Im not sure if the IUD contributed to the weight gain, but it made me feel so groggy-it was all I could do to go for an enjoyable walk---I was used to running/hiking 2/3 times a week. I took the IUD out tonight---it felt like the thing to do. I just want to feel alive again.

Gained 12kg with mine,not to mention mental and physical exhaustion, abdominal bloating and severe pain! Always been a good exercisers and health eater, but nothing has given me weight loss. I'm having mine out this afternoon. Will give an update as I go.

After 6 months & 20 lbs I decided the IUD had to GO! Despite all attempts to loose the weight it was futile. Not only did I not loose I was steadily gaining. Very depressing! So, I removed my IUD Sunday morning. Yes I did it myself, very easy, & no pain at all. Today is Friday (5 days since removal) and I am down 6 lbs already. Hallelujah!

Hello new to here!! I had my mirena inserted August '07 a little over a year after the birth of my son (my relationship with his dad had ended when he was a few months old and sex was the last thing on my mind!) At my appt before the insertion itself I explained that I was in a new relationship, I didn't want children for a LONG time (I got pregnant with my son at 18) and that I wasn't happy to use condoms alone as they had failed before. The nurse advised that the mirena was a good long term BC method that would lighten and probably periods and that once it was in it could pretty much be forgotten about, all I had to do was check the threads each month to ensure it was still there, I felt that this would be the best option for me as I admittedly have a bad memory and would not trust myself with the pill and being a needlephobe the thought of the implant was horrifying! I don't remember the insertion too well so it can't have been too bad, I had been given mefenamic acid to take beforehand though... For the first few months everything was fine, light spotting each month for a few days that didn't even require so much as a liner :) this however was the only plus... I gradually put on weight, after 2 years my weight had gone up by almost 2 stone, I am only 5ft 3 and went back to my pre-pregnancy weight of 8st 3lbs within 2 weeks, my eating habits hadn't changed and if anything I was more active that I had ever been in my life running around after a 2/3yo, walking absolutely everywhere with a buggy! (i couldn't drive until less than a year ago) and I regularly went to the gym so I couldn't work out what the hell was wrong. I have a fairly long history with depression and had been on and off anti depressants before I fell pregnant with my son but aside from the baby blues thought that was all behind me. I had however began feeling constantly tired, never felt like doing anything with friends when I could, was stuck in a rut and felt that someone was even going to come and take my son away from me, despite the fact that he was in a loving home with a loving mummy and he was happy and healthy. I felt i was going insane! Back to docs who decided I had anxiety issues and advised I attended a support group (I never did) through weight watchers i was able to lose a lot of the weight but not all, still have an irritating belly 'pouch' am constantly bloated and am 7-10lbs heavier than i was pre insertion and IT WILL NOT BUDGE! I have greasy hair that needs washed constantly (wash at night greasy next morning, eugh) spots over my chin and jawline which i never had even in my teens, aching hips (anyone else had this?) and itching skin/hives particularly after a shower (IT IS NOT SOAP/SHAMPOO same happens each time regardless of product used) and constant headaches. Thankfully I have made a move to have this god awful mirena removed and am replacing it with the copper NON-HORMONAL coil, I would rather have increased bleeding and cramps than all of this! Just awaiting my appointment details. I am annoyed that I was not made aware that these are known side effects of Mirena, particularly depression as my struggles with it before pregnancy are well documented in medical notes! I am hoping that i will finally get rid of these last few lbs once this is finally the hell out of me and that I can get back to being happier, more confident me! sorry my post was so long xx

Hello, thanks for the posts!Insertion date: November 13, 2013 (hurt so bad!)Reason for the Mirena insertion: Endometriosis (since 1999) and unidentified suprapubic pelvic pain (since 2010)My symptoms prior to Mirena: 15/10 pain radiating down my legs one day before menses and 1-3 days after starting each month. Suprapubic pain lower left pelvis every day varying in intensity.What the doctors told me: Gyno- Nothing helps endometriosis except giving me hormones, surgery, or removing my ovaries. Urologist- Pelvic pain could be Interstitial cystitis OR r/t to my endometriosis no way of knowing until I suppress my hormones!Reasons against hormones: I tried several types of BC pills back when I was diagnosed with terrible side effects, the weight gain reported from Depo and Implanon, and a history of being many times that IUD’s were contraindicated to endometriosis. What I did: Got the Mirena b/c my MD said it was such a LOW DOSE of hormones that it would probably have NO SIDE EFFECTS.Negative symptoms since my Mirena insertion: Intermittent shooting, stabbing pains in my lower right pelvic are-never know when or why (they’ve had me doubled over in public), greenish/brown D/C for the first month and a half (Thank God that’s somewhat over with), a different kinda’ smell down there no matter what I do, complaints from my husband that he can feel the wire during intercourse, shooting/pinching type pelvic pain during intercourse (intensity varies on position), pain post-intercourse (cramping and swelling), spotting X1 day post intercourse, ZERO SEX DRIVE (this is NOT usual for me at all), sluggish and tired with no motivation most days, intermittent EXTREME irritation, what I call foggy brain, decrease in memory, increase in clumsiness (weird I know), increase in appetite (never satiated), and the worst for me I think has been an INCREASE in weight (up at least 10 pounds). I also have developed the POT-BELLY most everyone has referred to! It’s CRAZY!!! I look pregnant I swear!Positive symptoms since my Mirena insertion: I don’t have the 15/10 cramping during 1-3 days of my menses, or have the heavy bleeding I experienced during the 3 menses prior to insertion.What I wonder: Should I keep the Mirena and see if all these symptoms stabilize? Or get it out?I really don’t know what to do??? I’m not seeing how this is MUCH better than what I was experiencing before. I’ve just swapped certain problematic symptoms for others! I’m scared to remove it because of how bad it hurt going in, and don’t want to think I went through ALL of this for NOTHING! I want something to work for my pain and I want someone to find the cause of the additional suprapubic pain as well. MD’s are always resistant to treating pain these days and I’m scared to be left with no choice besides 800mg of Ibuprophen every 6 hours. I’ve been taking that amount since 1999 and it doesn’t work, not to mention the side effects long term use of NSAID’s can have on a body. Any advice???

I have the Mirena IUD for over a year now. I first went to the doctor to have it remove only 6 weeks after it being inserted. She convinced me to give it more time to let my body get used to it and my symptoms would go away.

Well, 10 months later and I'm still getting cystic acne, smelly discharge and facial hair that wasn't there before. plus, i'm bugging the hell out of myself and my boyfriend by constantly being down and complaining about my acne. these lumps are huge and rock hard where i used to have pretty, soft skin.

I've made an appointment to have it removed on the 19th, in 7 days, and I am so excited! Especially after reading some of these other comments. One thing I'm afraid of is my hormones going out of whack upon initially having it removed and the acne flaring up, but everyone seems to share the same story of it going away relatively quickly. That is relief. I've been taking better care of my skin in the last year than I ever have and these things are still on my face. Can't wait to update once it's out.

Hello,I've noticed the facial har n just hair growth period. Ive never had to wax before but now I have to because of the growth. Its embarrassing as a woman. I just got the Mirena removed yesterday. Ive had the device since 2011 it was fine at first. I wanted to gain weight, my heavy bleeding stopped and no mor episodes of migraines. For a year ive noiced my moid swing, having periods every 14 days n acne. I can't seem to lose this stomach neither. I've also been having the worst cramps ever feels like contractions. I also keep getting BV, which is also embarrassing. Day 1 since removal wish me luck. Im also taking antibiotics for the Bv.

I have read many of the stories here and can relate to the weight gain, the sore breasts, the discharge and the loss of sex drive. I have had the Mirena IUD since May 2011 and have gained 20lbs. I have worked out more in the last 2 years then I ever did and my eating habits haven't really changed, in fact I have been trying to eat better most of the time. I am so heavy in my mid-section and it doesn't seem to matter what I do it just seems to be getting bigger. I'm calling the doctor today to get it removed.

I just had my Mirena removed today. It was inserted 2 years ago after the birth of my youngest.

When I weighed in today at the Dr.'s office I weigedt 6 pounds less than when I was 9 months pregnant. This weight gain only confirmed my decision to get the Mirena out. I had gained 15 pounds in one year.

About 1 year into my Mirena, my husband and I were constantly fighting, he was always telling me how angry I was. I was convinced I needed to be on some anti-anxiety drug so I went to my PCP (not by OB) and he put me on Paxil. While my mood was better, I was almost emotionless and always incredibly tired. I had gained even more weight which at the time, I had attributed to Paxil not Mirena. I finally got off the Paxil 6 months ago and I did not lose one pound even though I was eating much better (no more midnight snacks) and exercising. The whole time I was convinced it was the Paxil & now I am certain my mood was due to the Mirena.

I finally did more research and had my OB remove at my annual visit. (she had no problems removing it)

Due to health problems I havent had time to get to dr. for my annual and am a few years overdue. I was due for mirena to be removed in 2011. Im finally going. Ive had all symptoms mentioned by all. Weight is a huge frustration. My question is has anybody had it in as long as I and even though I was told it expires after 5 years I still have that midbuldge, other things like hair loss, moody, slowly light periods 28-30 days but skip some too.... i desperatly want to believe the iud is whats causing my lack of losing weight....

After insertion Mirena is effective for 5 years, although some studies have shown that it may be effective through 7 years.

Nov.2013 is 7 years in for mine.

My midwife/ob wouldnt remove a year ago till I had an annual first.

Im changing ob's. I was 145 after son. I am 179 now at 5'6". I wear a 14-16 mainly. We gave up meat jan.2nd, I walk at work a lot due to asthma cardio is hard....but I eat healthier and truely believe mirena has held my weight at large! Heaviest was 183. I would just die if I got bigger. I feel so helpless between asthma and all the other crazy symptoms of the iud...

I hope with it out by hopefully april I will see a difference! My husband is fixed so I feel confident in using nothing after this!

Hi I posted a comment in Sept 2012. I had my mirena inserted 2009, gained weight but definitely not all due to the mirena, but have definitely had no energy and mood swings. So today I had it removed mainly due to the comments on this site, but as I also found out I was suitable for a NovaSure procedure, cause no way I could chance the heavy bleeding prior to the mirena. Ladies, you should look into this if you feel it may suit, without having a histerectomy, and is a day surgery job. Anyway, I will definitely post a couple of updates or so as to my thoughts and results good or bad, especially on my pregnant look and bloating !!!!

Helpful Links

Why I'm Here

Just from doing a little research on the internet, I have found that there are an overwhelming amount of negative experiences from women who currently have the Mirena IUD. What I didn't find was much information on what happened to these women after they got their Mirena IUDs removed. If you are like me, once you confirm that the Mirena is the reason for your symptoms, you want to know that your body/life will return to normal if you get the IUD removed. After my own very negative experience, I have decided to create this blog to track what happens to me AFTER taking the Mirena out. I think the real test will be if the symptoms that have plagued me for a year go away, and I want other women to know that yes, things will be okay after removal.

I am aware that not every woman has a negative experience with the Mirena IUD. These are my personal experiences, and I simply hope that they help anyone else who is having a negative Mirena experience.

Also, any information I post deals with the Mirena IUD. I don't have any information on the Paraguard Copper IUD.